Becoming The Master
by CaptainPrice
Summary: It's been over a month since Ash Ketchum completed his journey in the Sinnoh region after losing to Tobias in the Lily of the Valley Conference. This has led to him questioning his strength and skill as a trainer and now he's not sure what he should do next. However, he receives a letter that may just be his answer to reaching his goal.
1. The Letter

**Hey all, this is yet another Pokemon story that I've had running in my head for a while and I decided to go with it. This story was made because I've become highly disappointed with the Pokemon anime (Black and White was just God awful and they made Ash go from the peak of his training career to a complete noob-tard) So I decided to do this story in place of it. This takes place a month after the Lily of the Valley Conference and Ash is having some doubts about his training career. This is an OC acceptance story, I'll have info at the bottom about that.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash is once again back home with another journey behind him and is now having thoughts about his training career. Doubt has been creeping into his mind after his defeat by Tobias in the Lily of the Valley Conference and he starts to wonder what he should do next. **

**Opening 1: Let's rock n roll-Charm City Devils**

**Ending 1: Higher-P.O.D.**

**Key:**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks_

* * *

Ash Ketchum was sitting in his room and watching a rerun of the Lily of the Valley Conference. He reminisced about his performance in the league and knew that was his best run he had in a regional league. He knew that he had the potential to win the Lily of the Conference but a cruel twist of fate pitted him against Tobias, who was without a doubt the toughest opponent he fought since Brandon, the Pyramid King. His fists clenched as he looked at the screen which just started to show his and Tobias' battle. Sitting beside Ash was his first pokémon and partner, Pikachu. Sensing his friend's frustration, Pikachu turned and looked up at him with concern.

"Pika pi?" Pikachu asked.

"Hey buddy, I'm okay," Ash said scratching him on his head.

"Pika."

Ash sighed as he watched Sceptile take out Darkrai with a well-placed Leaf Blade and felt a grin spread across his face. Even though he lost against Tobias, he tried to look at the positives of his battle against him. The biggest thing that he took pride in that fight was that his pokémon gave it their all and he managed to take out two strong legendary pokémon, one of them had a record of being undefeated. The battle ended on the TV and Ash sighed once again changing the channel.

"Ash, honey, dinner is ready!" Delia called from downstairs.

"Alright Mom, I'll be right down!" Ash replied.

* * *

Ash turned off his TV, stood up and gave a long stretch. Pikachu climbed onto his shoulder and they began their march downstairs to eat. As he descended the stairs, Ash looked at the pictures hanging on the wall. A bunch of them were pictures of his journeys past and his friends. He stopped at the last picture that was at the base of the stairs. The photo was of him, Brock and Dawn at the end of their journey in Sinnoh.

_"Brocko, Dawn, I hope you're both doing well,"_ Ash thought as he entered the kitchen.

He sat down at the table and Pikachu jumped off of his shoulder and sat on the table. Delia placed Ash's dinner in front of him that consisted of roast, mashed potatoes, biscuits and peas. Ash scooped up a spoonful of food and placed it in his mouth. Brock may be an excellent cook, but Ash had to admit he had nothing on his mom. Pikachu snagged one of the biscuits from Ash's plate and began to nibble on it. Delia sat down across from Ash and was about to dig in to her dinner but noticed Ash seemed lost in thought.

"Ash, is everything alright?" Delia asked.

"Oh, yeah, I'm okay Mom," Ash said smiling sheepishly.

"Are you sure? You hardly touched your dinner."

"I'm okay, I've just been thinking about some things."

"What kind of things?"

Ash had been thinking about a lot of things, but there were a few key thoughts that remained stuck in his head ever since he completed his Sinnoh journey. His first thought was going on another journey in the Unova region to try his luck in another league. Another thought was possibly taking up Scott on his offer to become a frontier brain, but he wasn't sure he would be able to commit since he enjoyed being on the road and traveling. However, the biggest thought on his mind and he could not understand why, was what his father would think of him.

"Mom, where is dad?" Ash asked.

Delia almost dropped her fork in surprise at Ash's question and she looked at her son to try and figure out what caused him to ask. She could see a quizzical look on Ash's face and she gave a sigh. Delia had no idea where her husband was and the closest thing that she had of him was an occasional letter. She and Ash have not seen her husband in almost ten years and she remembered how devastated Ash was when he left.

"I don't know honey, I don't know," Delia said shaking her head.

"I was just wondering what he would think of me and how far I've come as a trainer," Ash said eating taking another bite.

"Ash, I may not know where your father is, but I do know he's very proud of you."

Ash gave a small nod at his mother's words and took another bite of his dinner. He could see Pikachu was looking at him with concern again but he was determined to assure his partner he was fine. He rubbed Pikachu's head again and earned a purr from him.

"So is there anything else on your mind?" Delia asked.

"The other thought I've had lately is going on another journey in the Unova region," Ash replied resting his chin on his hand.

"I feel a but coming."

"But I'm not sure if it's worth it now. I mean, can I really progress any further than I did at the Lily of the Valley Conference? I just feel I might be disappointed and stopped in my tracks again."

Delia was now a little surprised at Ash's answer and she could not believe the words that left her son's mouth. All the confidence that he built up when he first started as a trainer upon receiving Pikachu was gone and replaced with doubt. There was no way she would let her son give up on his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master that easily.

"Ash Ketchum, I don't want to hear anything like that from you again!" Delia shouted.

"Mom?" Ash asked in surprise from her outburst.

"I've watched you invest too much time and hard work into becoming the trainer you are today! You will become a Pokémon Master and the only way to do that is to not give up!"

"I still want to be a Pokémon Master, Mom. I've just been questioning my ability after I got crushed by Tobias."

"Ash, that's all part and parcel of being a Pokémon Master. You will face trainers both stronger and weaker than you. I know your father would tell you the same thing."

Ash fell silent and looked down at his dinner again. He knew she was right and his dad would more than likely tell him the same thing.

"To tell you the truth, I think I know just the way to boost your confidence back up," Delia said smiling.

"Really?" Ash asked raising an eyebrow. "What would that be?"

"I'm talking about this. It came for you in the mail today."

Delia handed Ash a small envelope that had an official stamp of the Pokémon League on it. This immediately perked Ash's interest as he took the letter from his mom. He observed it for a moment to see if there was anything else written on it but all he saw was his name and the seal. He gave a shrug and opened the small envelope and pulled out a neatly folded letter. Pikachu climbed on Ash's shoulder and began to read along with him.

_Dear Mr. Ketchum,_

_I would like to extend an offer to you that is only presented to the most prestigious of pokémon trainers in the eyes of the Pokémon League. There is a tournament that takes place during the summer shortly after the Pokémon Leagues of each region come to a close. The Pokémon World Tournament takes place from late May until mid-August and it will be held at the Indigo Plateau this year. If you wish to partake in this event, please arrive at the Indigo Plateau no later than May 25th to register. I truly hope to see you there, Mr. Ketchum._

_Sincerely, Charles Goodshow_

Ash felt a rush of adrenaline and pride as he read the letter again and again. Charles Goodshow, president of the Pokémon League, invited him to participate in the Pokémon World League which would no doubt give him the chance to become stronger before his next journey. He read the letter again and felt another grin spread across his face. There was no way he was going to pass up an opportunity like this.

"I can see that twinkle in your eye," Delia said smiling broadly.

"I'm going to the Pokémon World Tournament to compete," Ash replied with a nod.

"That's great, honey. When does it begin?"

"May 25th is the latest I can register, so that gives me one week."

"I will always be there to support you, honey."

"Thanks Mom."

Ash set down the letter and began scarfing his food down quickly. Once his plate was clean he took it over to the dishwasher and placed it inside to save his mom some work. He began to hurry upstairs but stopped when his mother called out to him.

"Do you want any dessert?"

"No thanks, Mom! I'm going to go to bed so I can get up early tomorrow to see Professor Oak!" Ash yelled back.

"Okay, be sure to brush your teeth!"

* * *

Ash rolled his eyes at one of his mom's oldest catchphrases. He went into his room and changed into his pajamas before heading to the bathroom. After brushing his teeth he went back into his room and held the letter in his hand once again. He looked it over as he closed the door and then set the letter back down on his desk before shutting off the light. He climbed into bed and Pikachu hopped on after him, curling up beside him on the pillow. Once Ash got comfortable, Pikachu climbed onto his chest and began to fall asleep.

"Get some rest, Pikachu," Ash whispered stroking his partner's back. "We got a busy day tomorrow."

"Pika," Pikachu replied closing his eyes.

Ash folded his hands behind his head and looked up at his ceiling. As he started to drift off to sleep, his thoughts began to wander to his dad again. He wished he knew where he was so he could talk with him. He had so many things he wanted to ask him. The questions in his head ranged from his dad's journeys to the pokémon that he caught.

_"Dad, where are you?"_ Ash wondered as he closed his eyes.

* * *

**Alright that's the intro chapter/prologue, whatever you want to call it. I hope you all enjoyed the start and that Ash didn't seem too OOC. As you can see I've hinted that Ash's father will play big part in this because in all honesty, I believe his dad is crucial for his development as a character and you will see soon enough that there is one more key person that will play a part in his journey to becoming a Pokemon Master. Till next time, see you!- Captain**

**OC Form/Acceptance Rules**

**1.) DO NOT send an OC via review, by PM only. All submissions from anonymous viewers and authors alike in the review section will be deleted/ignored.**

**2.) Only one OC submission per person.**

**3.) Do not beg for me to give your OC screentime or give them more than one cameo. Doing so will only make me less likely to bring yours in. I will bring characters in when I feel it's appropriate to do so. **

**4.) All OCs I get will probably be accepted, but only 4-5 will have supporting roles, the rest will be there to fill in time and what not.**

**5.) FOLLOW THE FORM THE WAY IT IS ON MY PROFILE. Failure to do so is automatic disqualification. It's not hard to follow the form and I was way too lenient on this the last time. **

**6.) If you have any questions, PM me.**


	2. Parallels

**Hey all, I'm out with a quick update and I thank you all for the support and OC submissions. I decided to get a quick chapter out for all of you for being so awesome. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I apologize if some of you aren't too taken with what I did in this chapter, but I believe I pulled this off pretty well so far and can continue to do so. **

**Chapter Summary: Ash has an interesting dream that will start him on his journey to become a Pokemon Master.**

**Key:**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks_

* * *

Ash opened his eyes and found himself standing in the middle of a snow covered mountain. He had no recollection of how he got there but all he knew was that he needed to find a way off the summit. Pikachu was shivering from his perch on his shoulder and he decided to keep him warm by wrapping him in his arms. Pikachu muttered something in thanks through his chattering teeth. Once Pikachu was in place, Ash glanced around to find a path that lead down the twisting pinnacle. After failing to find an identifiable trail Ash decided to walk straight ahead.

_"How did I get up here in the first place?"_ Ash wondered as he trudged through the deep snow.

He remembered falling asleep but now he was trying to determine why he was in the middle of nowhere. He gave a shiver as a chilling wind hit him full force from the front. The freezing temperature would take its toll on him unless he found some form of shelter to wade out the storm.

"I have to be dreaming," Ash muttered. "I would have remembered coming up here otherwise."

Ash continued his walk through the snow and could hear it crunching underneath his feet with each step he took. He stopped and looked around the ice covered rocks for some sort of cave and was having difficulty trying to find one. Cursing under his breath he did another quick look around to see if he missed anything. This time he saw a large mouth inside the rock formation in front of him.

"Hang on Pikachu, we're almost there!" Ash said.

"Pika!" Pikachu said back.

Ash started hoisting his legs up high as he bounded through the snow to the cave in front of him. As he entered the cave, Pikachu jumped out of his jacket and shook off the snow that accumulated on his head. Ash shook his pants and shoes free from the excess snow and looked around the cave. It was pitched dark and he had no way of lighting up the cave to see where he was going. The only source of light he had was the sunlight that peeked between the cracks that illuminated parts of a path that led deeper into the cave.

As Ash looked around the cave, he felt as though there was something lurking in the depths of the caverns. It was as if it was a presence of strength and courage. His eyes glanced down the dimly lit path and he rested his hands at the back of his head. As he looked down the path, the force of the presence he sensed earlier seemed to grow.

"Pikachu, do you feel that?" Ash asked as he looked down at his partner.

"Pika pi," Pikachu said nodding at him.

"Call me crazy, but it feels as though something's calling out to me. Do you feel it too?"

"Chu."

Ash crossed his arms and stared back down the pathway that vanished into the cave. Looking at his options, he had two choices. His first choice was to follow the path to see what waited at the end of it, or he could sit and wait until he woke up. He concluded that the latter choice wasn't too appealing and decided to go into the depths of the cavern.

"Pikachu, we're going for a walk," Ash said holding out his arm.

"Pi!" Pikachu said as he climbed up and resumed his perch on his shoulder.

Ash grinned at his friend, receiving one in return before starting his advance down the path. His footsteps echoed with each step he took down the rocky path. The deeper he went the greater the energy became. His heartbeat seemed to increase as he felt the wave of power hit him and it felt tremendous. Ash was now beginning to wonder what he was about to encounter after reaching the end of the twisting path. The power that was being exuded felt as though it was coming from an omnipotent being.

"What can be releasing this kind of energy? Is it a pokémon?" Ash muttered.

"Pikachu, pi," Pikachu said tightening his grip on Ash.

Ash finally came upon another entrance to a descending tunnel. He paused for a minute and looked at Pikachu to see how he was holding up. He saw a look of fierce determination on Pikachu's face and that was enough to make him venture further. Ash started his decent into the narrow tunnel and could now feel his spine tingling from the power that was radiating through the tunnel. His feet quickened in step as he started to hustle down the stairs as he now could sense the power nearby. He could see the stairs vanish into the ground as he reached the end of the long passageway.

* * *

Ash stepped onto the landing and he could tell he reached the source of the power that was emanating throughout the caverns. His brow furrowed in determination as he walked down the path. He was now in a large chamber that only had one source of light that was pouring in from the ceiling at the opposite end. Ash squinted as he looked at the foundation that the light shone on. It appeared to be a large landing that would be the resting place of a powerful pokémon or even a possible place to hold a battle. He took a deep breath and continued his stride to the base of the ground he observed from afar. A small set of stairs ascended to the ground above him.

Ash climbed the stairs and now stood on top of the foundation. He felt his mouth open in awe as he finally came to terms with what he was standing on. It was a battlefield. But what was a battlefield doing in the middle of a cave? Ash looked around and saw nothing, but he could feel the presence was now so powerful that it was almost overwhelming.

"This is so cool, huh, Pikachu?" Ash asked looking at him.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

Ash couldn't hold in his excitement any longer and he walked to the center of the field where the light was shining. He felt a rush of cold air as it came in from the mountain but it was almost nonexistent as he searched for the entity that led him to the chamber. His eyes scanned every inch of the chamber, yet he found nothing. He could feel the presence but it was nowhere to be seen.

"I don't understand," Ash said looking up at the light. "I didn't just come here by mistake. Why draw me here when there's nothing to see?"

"Pi," Pikachu replied with a shrug.

"Well I guess that I was wrong. Let's go back."

"Pika."

Ash gave a sigh as he felt his excitement drain from him. He had his hopes up to see something cool, but all he found was a battlefield. Was the battlefield supposed to be a sign about something? He shook his head and began to march off of the field and back towards the stairs. That's when he felt the presence spike up to new heights. Ash stopped dead as he felt his spine give another tingle. Something was here. Ash's suspicion proved to be true as he heard footsteps echoing around the chamber from behind him.

"So you've finally come?" A voice asked.

Ash turned around to see who the voice belonged to but his eyes widened with surprise. He had to do a double take when he looked at the person who was in front of him. Standing before Ash was another boy about his age. The boy had jet black hair, a pale complexion and red eyes. He was wearing dark blue jeans, a black t-shirt, a red and white vest that was unzipped, black fingerless gloves and to top it off, a red and white official Pokémon League hat. Ash was at a loss for words as he looked at the boy before him.

"Uh, I guess?" Ash shrugged. "Who are you?"

The boy said nothing at first and turned his head to look at the pokémon that climbed on his shoulder. It was a Pikachu, just like Ash's. Ash was now beginning to feel a little creeped out at the strikingly similar person before him. He glanced at Pikachu and saw he was fairing no better as he sat there mouth agape.

"I would have thought that answer was obvious?" The boy asked.

"No, I've never met you," Ash replied shaking his head.

"I see, so you don't see it?"

"See what?"

The boy sighed and shook his head at Ash's response. Ash was still trying to come to terms as he stared at the boy before him. He looked just like him. The only difference was the attire he wore and his eyes.

"I'm you," the boy said looking at him.

"How's that possible? I'm me, you don't look anything like me," Ash said crossing his arms.

"It is possible and it's the truth. I look just like you and you know it."

"I don't believe you. It's impossible."

The boy shook his head and adjusted his hat.

"Your name is Ash Ketchum. You live with your mother, Delia, in Pallet Town. You woke up late on the day you became a trainer and received that Pikachu that's sitting on your shoulder as a starter," the boy said.

"How did?" Ash asked in disbelief.

"I already told you. I'm you."

Ash blinked and shook his head, still refusing to believe what he was hearing. He was now hoping that he would wake up from this dream just to escape the creepy situation he was in. The boy crossed his arms and leveled Ash with a stare that forced him to freeze and return the gaze.

"As I said, I'm you," the boy said. "Well, what you're supposed to be anyway. So far what I've seen with your accomplishments is sad, actually."

"Hey, take that back! I've done well as a trainer!" Ash shouted.

"You honestly expect me to believe that after I've seen everything you've done?"

Ash opened his mouth to retort but couldn't find the words to speak. He closed his mouth and glared back at the boy who claimed to be him. The boy said nothing as he looked at Ash again.

"Your silence says it all, Ash," the boy said scratching his Pikachu's chin. "All I ask of you right now is to listen to my suggestion."

"Oh yeah?" Ash challenged. "And what do you get in return?"

"I get the satisfaction of knowing that my counterpart can make a good other."

Ash gave a frustrated growl as he heard the boy's response. He had yet to hear his story but he could already tell he would be in a sour mood while hearing it. Deep down, Ash felt as though the boy he was talking to was a lot better than him if he claimed to be what he was supposed be. The boy leaned against a large rock and crossed his arms and pointed for Ash to take a seat.

"Look, you want to become a Pokémon Master, right?" The boy asked.

"More than anything," Ash said with a nod.

"I know the Pokémon World Tournament begins next week and that it takes place during the whole summer. During that time, I can train you to become the best trainer the world has ever seen."

"How?"

"Every night from here on out, you and I will battle and train together. By the time I'm done with you, you will be able to face anybody and win."

"Sounds like a plan! What do you think, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu said with a nod.

The boy stood up and Ash followed suit giving a stretch. The boy and his Pikachu walked toward the center of the battlefield where the light was shining and was about to step into it, but Ash stopped him.

"Hold on, I never caught your name!" Ash shouted. "Is it Ash?"

The boy didn't answer when Ash asked him the question. He cocked his head over his shoulder and looked him in the eye.

"No, you're my counterpart. We may be the same person, but our names are different," the boy replied as he stepped into the light.

The boy vanished upon touching the light, leaving Ash alone. Ash turned on his heel and was about to leave as well, but he heard the boy's voice once again.

"My name is Red."

* * *

**Well that's the chapter. I hope you all enjoyed that bit with Red since he is the second key person who will play a part in Ash's transformation. I also know he's supposed to be mute, but I did a different spin on it with him being the more knowledgeable side of Ash. I know I didn't go too in depth with Red in this chapter, but more of him will be revealed as the story goes on. I have a plan that will explain how he is now with Ash. That aside, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Till next time-Captain **

**I thought I should tell you that those who told me about the adjective bit in the OC form, I forgot to add something to that. I meant to say don't make a list of adjectives. EX: kind, funny, caring, etc. That's what I meant, just a small typo on my end. **


	3. A Team Until The End

**Hey all, I'm here with another update for the story and I hope you all enjoy the chapter. I received a lot of questions regarding OCs and when they will be introduced for the roles. I should tell all of you who asked me that to bear in mind that they're not the primary focus of the story. They'll come in eventually and I'll disclose more information about them at the end of the chapter here. So let's get on with it.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash heads to Professor Oak's lab to visit his pokemon after a month of inactivity to ask them a question that will lead to his next decision concerning his career.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks_

* * *

Ash's eyes fluttered open after the early morning sunlight sent penetrated his eyelids, causing his to give a grunt. Pushing himself up, he gave a stretch and glanced at the time. The clock read 6:30 making him sigh as he now had to leave his comfortable bed in order to go and see Professor Oak. Pikachu gave a loud yawn as he too woke up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Ash rubbed Pikachu's head before clambering out of bed and stumbling to his closet. As he put on his clothes his mind drifted back to the dream he had last night. Red's words were still lingering in his mind as he thought about his supposed counterpart.

"I wonder," Ash muttered. "If he's my counterpart then does that mean everyone has a counterpart?"

He decided to think about that later since it sounded too complicated at the time. He would have to ask Red about that later if he was given the time during their training sessions. Ash put on his hat and left his room with Pikachu following close behind. The two of them tiptoed down the stairs to prevent waking Delia up and made their way to the front door. Ash stopped for a minute and hurried to the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast to eat on the walk to Professor Oak's lab. He picked up two apples and went back to the door where Pikachu was waiting for him.

"Alright Pikachu, let's get going," Ash whispered opening the door.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded climbing onto Ash's shoulder.

Ash handed Pikachu one of the apples and closed the door slowly behind him.

* * *

The morning felt nice and warm as he stepped out into the sun. Taking a bite of his apple, Ash began to make his way towards Professor Oak's laboratory down the road. He felt some memories hit him from years previously when he first started his journey. This was the very same road he was sprinting down on the day he woke up late and it made him give a light chuckle as he reminisced about it. Looking around the town, Ash could see the houses that belonged to other trainers that he grew up alongside which were probably housing only the parents. He could see some flocks of Pidgey soaring high and some herds of Rattata scampering through bushes and tall grass.

Professor Oak's lab came into view and Ash started to quicken his pace to get there as soon as he could. His fast walk turned into a run as he could no longer hold his eagerness in. Ash panted lightly as he came to the twisting stairs that led up the hill to the building. He ascended the stairs and came to a stop at the double doors. He pushed the doorbell and could hear the chime echoed around the lab. The doors opened seconds later and revealed an old man wearing a lab coat over a red shirt and khaki pants.

"Oh, good morning Ash!" Oak said with a smile. "My, you're up early."

"Good morning, Professor Oak," Ash said grinning back. "I'm sorry for bothering you this early but I was wondering if I could come in for a bit and check on my pokémon?"

"Of course you can, Ash. Come in, come in."

Oak stepped aside and allowed Ash to enter the famous laboratory. He closed the door behind him and walked beside Ash as they made their way to the backyard.

"It's been a while since I've talked to you, Ash," Oak said. "It was right when you came back from the Sinnoh region. That was about a month ago, correct?"

"That's right," Ash nodded. "I can't believe it's been a whole month already."

"Time flies fast, Ash."

"I guess it does."

Ash and Oak came to the back door of the lab that led to the backyard which was insanely large. Oak opened the door and Ash walked out into the vast field to search for his friends. His eyes scanned the prairie and they fell on a large group of pokémon near the end of the fence. He felt a grin spread across his face as he looked at all his friends that he caught on his earlier journeys as he made his way to them.

"Hey guys, did you miss me?" Ash announced as he walked over to the group.

The group of pokémon turned around and when they saw him, they hurried over to greet their trainer with high spirits. The first one to reach Ash and Pikachu was Infernape, followed by Sceptile, Swellow, Heracross and Glailie. Infernape wrapped up Ash in a large hug and they fell to the ground as Heracross collided into them.

"It's good to see you all," Ash said grinning broadly.

"They haven't seen you in a while, Ash," Oak said as he walked up to them. "I'm sure they're overjoyed to see you."

"I can see why."

The rest of his pokémon finally made their way over and surrounded him, eager to get his attention after not seeing him for a while. Ash greeted each of his pokémon one by one and after he was done he had them line up side by side. Oak was wondering what Ash was doing by arranging his pokémon the way he did and decided to ask him.

"Ash, what exactly are you doing?" Oak asked as he looked at the young man.

"I'm just getting my team here ready for a brief about something," Ash replied as he got in front of his pokémon.

"Oh? What exactly is this brief you have to share with them?"

"You'll see."

Ash turned back to face his pokémon with a determined look on his face which immediately caught their attention as well as Professor Oak's. Pikachu climbed off of Ash's shoulder and crossed his arms as he stood beside him. Each pokémon knew that this was a time to be serious and listen to what their master had to tell them because even they could tell the level of importance Ash and Pikachu's body language displayed.

"I'm not one for giving speeches, but I have to tell all of you about an opportunity that has come to us," Ash began looking at each of his pokémon. "I'm sure you're all sore about how we finished in the Lily of the Valley Conference and I can't blame you because I'm in the same boat."

Ash saw his pokémon look dejected at the memory of how they were defeated by Tobias. He quickly decided to move on with what he wanted to say to prevent keeping them in a negative mood.

"Don't get me wrong, we did very well. I mean we got in the top four which is the best we ever did in any of the leagues," Ash said giving a smile. "And it's because of that, that I am here today to tell you about this letter that came in the mail for me."

Ash pulled out the letter that he received from Charles Goodshow which immediately caught Oak's attention when he saw the seal. He was both surprised and proud of Ash when he saw the letter he was holding since he now knew what Ash was going to tell his pokémon.

"I received this letter here from Charles Goodshow, the president of the Pokémon League," Ash continued as he pocketed the letter. "He has invited me to compete in the Pokémon World Tournament which will begin next week at the Indigo Plateau. This will take place all through summer and only the best trainers have been invited. It's thanks to all of you that I got as far as I did."

Ash's pokémon all lit up with pride as he gave them praise for their accomplishment and their role in helping him reach an impressive achievement. They were all feeling motivated and had an idea of what he was going to say next. Regardless of what he might say, they would follow him until the end because they believed in him and loved him.

"Now, I want to sign up but I've been unsure about doing so because I don't think I can handle another loss like we had in Sinnoh. So I thought I'd ask you all this personally," Ash said as he crossed his arms. "Do any of you have any objections to competing? If you do, raise your hand and we will take a vote. The one that has the most votes will be my decision."

His pokémon all gave a nod or grunt as a reply to his question. Ash nodded as well when he got his message and prepared to take the vote.

"Alright, those of you who do not want to do this, raise your hand," Ash said as he looked down the row.

None of his pokémon raised their hand and he felt himself grin inwardly as he knew what was coming.

"Now raise your hand if you want to show this tournament what we can do!" Ash cheered pumping his fist in the air.

As soon as he said that, all of his pokémon raised their hands or gave a cry of acknowledgement as he presented the second choice. Ash grinned broadly as he looked at his pokémon with pride. It was at that moment he also had a bit of a revelation. His pokémon all agreed on the choice because he raised them well and trained them to be the best and because of that, they would want to prove that by any means necessary. The confidence that they had shown with their decision was more than enough to rejuvenate his motivation to enter the tournament and win it.

"That's good to know, because we need to get down to some serious training to win this tournament!" Ash said as he adjusted his hat. "So let's get to work!"

* * *

Hours had gone by and Ash was now resting against one of the trees in the prairie. He had just finished doing some rigorous training to test their endurance and see if they had deteriorated in skill since he had seen them last. Most of his pokémon were still in prime condition and that helped him relax a little bit, but he noticed some of them did not seem to be near the high standards as he saw for some of his stronger pokémon like Sceptile, Infernape, Heracross, Charizard and Pikachu. He made a list of those he thought needed more focus on training and was currently looking at it. On the list he had Donphan, Gible, Torkoal, Bayleef, Bulbasaur, Totodile and Quilava. Nodding to himself, he stood up and gave a long stretch.

"Donphan, Gible, Torkoal, Bayleef, Bulbasaur, Totodile, Quilava, come here for a minute!" Ash called.

The seven pokémon came to him hurriedly and gathered around him to listen to what he had to say. Totodile and Gible each jumped up and latched onto him with their teeth in a greeting causing him to let out a surprised yelp of pain. After prying them off and setting them down, he looked at his seven friends.

"Alright, I'm proud of how you all performed today for the training," Ash began. "Even though you're still strong, I believe you all can use a little more work. So I'll be putting my focus on you for the next week here. I'll take a handful of you out each day and do some training in the fields outside of Pallet Town or even Viridian Forest. Does that sound good?"

Ash got a collective cry of agreement from the seven pokémon and smiled. He yawned and gave another stretch. His stomach gave a growl as it craved for some food after all the work he did during the day.

"Okay, I think that's enough training for now. I'll come back later and we can pick up where we left off." Ash said.

His pokémon all nodded and began their march back to the rest of the gang. Pikachu hopped up on Ash's shoulder and received a chin scratch. The two of them made their way back inside the lab to say goodbye to Professor Oak but couldn't find him. Ash scratched his head as he tried to find the goofy professor but he was nowhere to be seen. He went to a neighboring room to see if he could find him. He found the door was ajar and he entered the room to see Professor Oak sitting at a phone talking to somebody.

"Ah, it's great to hear that you're doing well with your research, Gary!" Oak said with a smile.

"Thanks Grandpa," Gary replied. "So how are things back at Pallet?"

"Very well. Ash dropped by today after receiving a letter from Charles Goodshow and did a pretty intense training session."

"Heh, Ashy-boy is still pushing the limits, eh?"

Ash walked over to the phone to see if he could drop in and talk with his old rival for a bit. He remembered Gary wanted to follow in his grandfather's footsteps by being a researcher. He still remembered when Gary revived the Aerodactyl from an amber and had to restrain himself from laughing as he pictured Gary laughing like a mad scientist screaming, "It's alive!" His footsteps gathered the attention of both Professor Oak and Gary.

"Oh, Ash, I didn't see you there," Oak said as he turned to him. "I thought you were still out training?"

"I was but I'm taking a break for now," Ash replied. "I was going to head home and get something to eat and come back later to continue. I just wanted to thank you for letting me come in so early today."

"No problem, Ash."

Ash walked pulled up a stool and sat beside Oak to talk to Gary for a bit before he left. He wanted to ask Gary a question that he felt he could answer him.

"So how's it going, Ash?" Gary asked.

"Pretty good, Gary," Ash replied. "How's it going with you and your research?"

"It's going good, actually. I am almost finished with a research paper I have to write for a class."

"What's it about?"

"I presented a thesis about a belief that legendary pokémon all help keep the world in balance and that with just one of them gone it can affect the world greatly."

"How many pages does it have to be?"

"It was a minimum of twenty pages, but I'm currently on page fifty."

"You are a maniac."

Gary gave a laugh at Ash's response and shook his head. Ash had always been a joker when they were younger and it was good to see that his sense of humor was still intact. He remembered that his grandfather told him about a letter from Charles Goodshow and decided to ask Ash what it was about.

"So Ash, what was that letter that Charles Goodshow sent you?" Gary asked leaning back.

"It was an invitation to participate in the Pokémon World Tournament," Ash replied rubbing Pikachu's head.

"I guess that means you'll be doing it knowing you?"

"I actually had my doubts about doing it after what happened at Sinnoh. After my pokémon showed that they wanted to do it, I decided to do so."

"Good. I was about to say that if you didn't I would lose all respect I had for you and punch you."

Ash chuckled at his old rival's words. Oak shook his head in disapproval at the mention of violence but let it slide because that's how kids were these days.

"Hey, Gary, I'll let you get back to talking with your grandpa here, but I wanted to ask you something," Ash said.

"I'm listening, Ashy-boy," Gary replied.

"How did you keep your pokémon in top condition when you were a trainer? Did you have a specific method that you followed?"

"Huh, didn't think I'd ever hear you asking for advice on something since you usually did your own thing. But to answer your question, I would always rotate my pokémon out on my journey to keep them all at a high level of strength. That's why I did as well as I did."

"I see. I think it's time I pulled a tactic from your playbook."

"Well I'm glad that I can help, Ashy-boy. If you have any questions you can give me a ring."

"Sounds good, Gary. Thanks again."

"No problem."

* * *

Ash got up from his seat and bid Gary and Professor Oak farewell before departing the office. He exited the lab and began to run home to get some lunch after his long morning of intense training. His stomach gave another growl as he made his way down the road to his house which was coming into view. He could smell the sweet aroma of food that his mother was cooking and his mouth started to water.

"Something smells good, right buddy?" Ash asked Pikachu.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed as he ran beside Ash.

The two of them burst into the house like a hurricane and garnered the attention of his mother from the kitchen.

"Ash, take it easy with the door!" Delia hollered.

"Sorry Mom, I'm starving!" Ash said back.

"Well I'm just about finished with lunch. It should be ready in about five minutes so go get washed up."

"I will, but I want to make a quick call."

"Okay, lunch will be ready when you're done."

Ash took off his hat and made his way to the phone. He picked up the phone and dialed the number he wanted and waited for an answer. The phone kept on ringing until finally a girl with green hair appeared on the screen. She looked a little surprised to see him but it turned into a friendly smile.

"Hey Ash, how are you?" Liza said.

"I'm feeling great," Ash answered. "Do you think you can do me a favor?"

"Sure, how can I help?"

"Do you think you can tell Charizard that I want to see him?"

"I'll let him know, Ash. He'll be at Pallet Town as soon as you know it."

"Awesome, thanks Liza."

Liza hung up and Ash followed suit. Even though he was focusing on training his weaker pokémon, he needed Charizard's help to do the next part of his plan. He had to make a couple stops before next week and getting a start on it tomorrow would definitely help. Ash hurried to the bathroom to clean himself to east lunch. He walked into the kitchen and sat at the table with Pikachu taking his position on the table top as usual.

"So how was your morning?" Delia asked.

"It was great," Ash replied. "I told my pokémon about the letter Charles Goodshow sent me and they all want to compete. So we decided to do a training session today and just finished a little while ago."

"I can tell. You're covered in sweat."

"Sorry about that."

"No worries honey. As long as you take a bath when you're done for the day then it's okay. I don't want you smelling stinky."

Ash shook his head and smirked at his mother's wit. She placed his lunch on the table and he quickly started to munch it down. Delia sighed at Ash's lack of manners but let it slide since he was busy with his day. Ash finished his meal quickly and gulped down the water that was in his glass.

"Take it easy, Ash," Delia said. "I know you want to train but you should take your time. Relax and enjoy your meal."

"Sorry," Ash laughed sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "I was going to take a nap before going back to do more training."

"That's fine, but don't overdo it."

Ash got up from the table and picked up Pikachu after he finished eating. The two of them went to the living room and plopped down on the couch to take a nap. They fell asleep instantly and began to recover the energy they lost from their training session.

* * *

It was early evening by the time Ash left Oak's laboratory and he was exhausted but he was feeling very accomplished with his actions from the day. He continued his walk back home and reflected on how Donphan, Gible, Totodile, Torkoal, Quilava, Bayleef and Bulbasaur did during the second half of their training. All of them worked hard and they seemed to improve a lot from earlier that day. Overall, Ash believed his first day of the training regimen was a success and it would only improve from that point on. He gave a loud yawn as he rested his hands on the back of his head.

"Man I'm tired," Ash yawned again. "I'm going to sleep like a rock tonight."

"Pika pi," Pikachu nodded as he too gave a yawn.

_"I wonder what Red has in store for me though?"_

Ash was broken from his thoughts as his eyes caught sight of something high in the sky. Squinting, he could make out the form of a large flying pokémon coming towards him. The blazing fire on the tip of the tail was clear and Ash felt a grin spread across his face.

"We got company, Pikachu." Ash said.

"Pi!" Pikachu cheered.

Charizard was soaring towards him and slowed down long enough to unleash a stream of fire on Ash as a greeting. The flames surrounded Ash and he gave multiple "ouches," as the flames danced across his skin. Once the fire stopped, Charizard landed in front of him looking very happy.

"Hey Charizard, nice of you to drop in!" Ash said.

Charizard gave a roar back in response and waited for Ash to shake off the soot that formed on his clothes. Once he did, he grinned up at Charizard and received one in return.

"Glad you came, Charizard," Ash said. "I need your help with some things and you're the only one who can help me do it."

Charizard seemed to take pride in Ash's answer and puffed out his chest proudly. Ash gave a chuckle at Charizard's gesture and began to carry on with what he wanted to say.

"There's a tournament coming up next week that will go on for the remainder of summer and I want you there with me to win it," Ash said putting his hand on Charizard. "Before we do that though, we need to pick up some old friends."

Charizard nodded as Ash informed him of the plan and was eager to start working.

"What do you say buddy? You ready to get the team back together and win this?" Ash asked.

His answer was a determined cry and he grinned broadly at that.

"Good."

* * *

**Well that's the chapter everybody, I hope you enjoyed it. I appreciate all the support and OCs that have been submitted (received 21 so far). I will try to update sometime soon but we'll see where it goes since I'm squad leader this rotation and in charge of 11 people and I have a bunch of projects coming up so I need to buckle down. I have information on the OC situation below so be sure to read that carefully and it should answer your questions. Till next time, see you.-Captain**

**OC Situation:**

**1.) No, I have not selected the OCs who will be supporting roles because to be honest, a lot of them I received didn't grasp the realistic portion of the achievements so I'm trying to determine who should be what.**

**2.) OCs will start making appearances next chapter (Mine and possibly one other, we'll see.)**

**3.) Make sure that if you submitted an OC that you follow the story if you chose yes for a romance because like I said. Your character chooses a different OC for a romantic interest so as they are introduced and portrayed PM me your choice. They cannot be paired with canon characters.**

**4.) I'll start displaying the supporting characters next chapter since I'm still choosing.**


	4. Laying The Smackdown

**Hey all, I'm here with another update and a fairly long chapter to boot so I hope this makes a lot of you happy. I appreciate the awesome support you all have given me. The story's been up for almost a week and it's already received over 1500 hits along with 28 favs, 29 alerts and 47 reviews so thanks a bunch. I'll save the information about the OCs for the end of the chapter since I will introduce the first support one that I've chosen for the story and I will discuss something that I noticed in a few OCs. For those of you who have witnessed my battles in Rise to the Challenge that have been highly acclaimed, this chapter's for you. For those of you who haven't read my battle scenes before, I hope you enjoy them a lot.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash revisits his dreams and begins his training with Red that will be his first stepping stone to becoming the ultimate Pokemon Master. He also starts his search for an old companion that he parted ways with a couple years ago.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks_

* * *

Ash had fallen asleep without difficulty that night after his long and strenuous day of training with his pokémon. As soon as his head hit the pillow he was out like a light and soon taken to his dreams. Ash opened his eyes and found himself standing on the battlefield in the chamber where he met Red the night before. He could barely hold his excitement as he would now see just how strong his counterpart was firsthand. His eyes scanned section of the chamber and every crack and crevice in search for Red, but he was nowhere to be seen. He crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks in a pout as he waited impatiently for his other to arrive and it was beginning to annoy him with his tardiness.

"What's taking him so long? He should have been here by now, right?" Ash asked Pikachu.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded as he sighed in boredom.

"I guess that's one tip of improvement for you," Red said as he appeared from the shadows.

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked.

"Instead of doing something productive like a warm up with your team, you waited here for me to show up and dive head into the battle."

"So? I want to get to work on my training!"

"That's admirable but bear in mind that not everything is about battling. This is the time where you can be innovative and do something that's not the norm."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"We'll see. Now, take your place on that side there and I'll take mine."

Ash nodded and walked over to the left side of the battlefield to take his place while Red did the same on the right side. Red looked at Pikachu as he sat on his shoulder and nodded at the arena as an order for him to go in. Pikachu took his position and sparks crackled around his red cheeks as he glared at Ash.

_"He's starting with Pikachu, eh?"_ Ash thought. _"Alright, let's try this."_

Ash plucked his first Poke Ball off of his hip and clutched it tightly in his hand. He tossed it into the arena and it opened with a loud crack and a white glow began to take shape in front of him. The pokémon that materialized in front of Ash was his Gible. Gible glanced around for a minute to take in his surroundings before turning to Ash.

"Get ready for battle, Gible. You're taking on that Pikachu there," Ash said pointing at Red's Pikachu.

"Gible!" Gible replied turning to face his opponent.

"You move first," Red said adapting a serious look.

"Alright, Gible, start with Dig!" Ash ordered.

Gible jumped in the air and dove into the ground creating a small narrow tunnel. Pikachu narrowed his eyes as he studied the ground for any possible tremors or movement. Red anticipated a move that would be a type advantage over Pikachu and he gave a small nod.

_"Starting with a type advantage isn't bad, but it'll become too predictable,"_ Red thought as he observed Ash.

"Pikachu, touch your tail to the ground and wait for my command," Red said as he looked at the ground.

Pikachu did as he was told and his tail was pressed hard into the ground. This made Ash tilt his head in wonder as he tried to figure out what Red was planning. He didn't even bother to have Pikachu do some sort of move to counter Gible's incoming attack. That's when Ash noticed Pikachu's ears twitch and he finally figured out what Red was doing.

_"He's using Pikachu's tail as sonar to detect Gible,"_ Ash thought as he clenched his fists. _"I have to make a mental note of that, that's a neat trick."_

Pikachu suddenly sprung into the air just moments before Gible surfaced from under him. Gible was now just under Pikachu and wide open for punishment and Red quickly took advantage of that.

"Iron Tail," Red said as he watched Pikachu descend.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied as his tail was coated in the strong element.

A loud clang echoed around the cavern as Pikachu's metal coated tail crashed down on top of Gible's head. Gible was sent plummeting to the ground and crashed into it with such force it dented the field.

"Gible, are you okay?" Ash hollered out.

Gible clambered out of the small hole he made and jumped to his feet. Pikachu landed back on the ground and kept his eyes fixated on Gible as he waited for another move from the pokémon. Red knew that Gible wasn't going to be able to last much longer after taking that attack head on from Pikachu. He would wait for Ash to make another move to see what else he had up his sleeve for tactics and attacks before executing his next order. He got his wish when Ash gave Gible his next command.

"Gible, let's try Draco-Meteor!" Ash yelled.

Gible tiled his head up towards the ceiling and an orange ball began to take shape in his open mouth. As Draco-Meteor was charging up, Red was continuing his evaluation of Ash so he could give him critique when the battle was done. What he saw was not a bad plan, but it was still a dangerous attack to pull off.

_"Alright, so he's also got a large area of effect with that attack, but he's wide open for punishment with the time it takes to use that move,"_ Red thought.

Gible finished creating the attack and sent the small orange ball skyward. They all looked as the attack climbed higher and higher until it exploded with a loud bang. As the attack broke apart it created multiple meteorites covered in orange and blue flames that whistled as they fell to the ground rapidly. Red snapped his fingers to which Pikachu responded by charging at Gible with phenomenal speed. Pikachu jumped in the air and smashed head on into Gible, making him bounce across the ground and land in a heap at Ash's feet.

"Pikachu, take cover in the hole that Gible made!" Red ordered.

Pikachu turned on his heel and bolted to the hole and dove in just in time to avoid the barrage of meteorites as the crashed into the ground with frightening power. Once the meteorites were done falling Pikachu jumped out of the opposite hole and resumed his position in front of Red. When Gible made no signs of movement, Ash returned him to his Poke Ball.

"Nice job, Gible. Take a good rest," Ash said tucking the ball away and pulling out the next one.

"So what have you learned from our first round here?" Red asked Ash.

"You're using the field to your advantage and Pikachu's features as a defense," Ash replied.

"Alright, I'll accept that answer. Send out your next pokémon."

Ash nodded and wound his arm back before releasing the ball. It soared into the arena and opened with a loud crack. Bulbasaur appeared in front of Pikachu and adapted a sharp look as he looked at him. Red nodded to himself as he saw the familiar pokémon in front of him. This was an interesting turn since Bulbasaur wouldn't be as affected by Pikachu's attacks but he wouldn't do much damage to Pikachu in return.

"Your move," Red said as he looked back at Ash.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Ash barked.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur replied as two thick vines shot out of his back.

Bulbasaur swung his vines at Pikachu who dodge them with ease. He gave another swing and Pikachu jumped between the vines with a twisting maneuver. Just before he hit the ground, Pikachu grabbed onto one of Bulbasaur's vines and prepared to deliver an attack.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt," Red said as he waited to see what Ash would do next.

"Bulbasaur, use your vine and grab onto the ground!" Ash hollered.

Bulbasaur used his free vine and sent it into the hole that Gible made earlier. As soon as the line touched the ground, Pikachu released his strong electric attack. Bulbasaur winced in pain but for the most part looked unaffected by the attack. Red smirked at the clever tactic that Ash used in order to lessen the effect of Pikachu's attack. Bulbasaur shook off the tingling sensation and glared back at Pikachu who was still attached to his vine. Ash saw an opportunity to turn the fight around and did not hesitate to shout out his next order.

"Bulbasaur, wrap that vine around Pikachu!"

Bulbasaur wrenched his vine free and swung it quickly and managed to wrap it around Pikachu's midsection. He picked Pikachu off the ground and began swinging him around in the air to make him dizzy. Red narrowed his eyes as he wondered what Ash planned to do as a follow up attack after disorienting Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt again to try and break free," Red said.

"Bulbasaur, don't let up! Use Body Slam with your vine!" Ash countered back.

Pikachu charged up his energy and sent another powerful shock through Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur flinched as the attack hit him again but his grip on Pikachu did not falter. Fighting through the pain, Bulbasaur gave one final swing before bringing the vine down with tremendous force and resulting in a slam. Pikachu bounced off the ground and his mouth opened wide as he felt the wind leave his body. As Bulbasaur let Pikachu go, Ash gave his next order.

"Now use Razor Leaf!"

"Saur!" Bulbasaur cried back in acknowledgement as he crouched low and aimed his bud at Pikachu.

The sharp leaves flew at Pikachu who had just recuperated from the previous attack. Red snapped his fingers and Pikachu started to take some evasive maneuvers. He sidestepped, flipped, crouched and jumped over the each of the leaves that were sent at him but was left open for another attack as he was falling to the ground.

"Use Razor Leaf again!" Ash yelled.

Bulbasaur sent another bombardment of leaves at Pikachu as he fell and this time his aim was true. The speedy leaves were too fast for Pikachu to dodge and they met him full force as he landed on the ground. Each leaf gave a stinging slash as they hit Pikachu and began forcing him back from the hard blows. The final leaf hit Pikachu in the head and launched him off of his feet. He landed on the ground in obvious pain and trembled as he pushed himself up.

_"Good tactic there on his part,"_ Red thought. _"Using a fast attack like that when the pokémon has no chance of dodging. Very good strategy there, Ash."_

Pikachu shook his head clear as he got to his feet and glared back at Bulbasaur. It was now time to take the gloves off and go on the offensive. Pikachu looked back at Red and received a nod in return to which he smirked back.

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle," Red said pointing at Bulbasaur.

Pikachu got down on all fours and his cheeks crackled with electricity as he got ready to deliver his devastating attack. He started to dash forward and his entire body was now enshrouded in a bright golden light of electricity. Ash's eyes widened a bit but reverted as he came up with his defensive plan. He was not too sure how well it would work but hopefully it would provide enough protection to keep Bulbasaur in the fight a little longer.

"Bulbasaur, get ready to jump on my command!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu got closer and closer to Bulbasaur as Ash waited to give the order. Pikachu was just upon Bulbasaur before he made his move.

"Jump now into the light and use Solar Beam!" Ash barked.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur answered as he jumped off the ground.

Pikachu leapt up after Bulbasaur and crashed into his stomach. Bulbasaur gave a loud cry of pain as Pikachu hit him with the powerful attack. He was thrown high into the air and towards the light that shone down from the ceiling. Ash grit his teeth as he saw Bulbasaur take that hit and began to wonder if he had enough power to stay in the fight. He got his answer when Bulbasaur's eyes snapped open as he entered the light. The bulb on his back began to glow white as he drew in the sunlight. Bulbasaur landed on the ground after storing energy and aimed his bulb at Pikachu who was suffering from recoil damage.

"Now!" Ash yelled out.

A blinding white beam shot out of the bulb and was sent on a collision course for Pikachu. Pikachu turned around and was met with a blinding light and then intense pain as the Solar Beam hit him directly in his stomach. The small mouse was blasted off his feet and sent airborne. He hit the ground with a loud thump after the beam vanished at Red's feet. When he didn't move, Ash gave a triumphant whoop at his win. He looked back at Red but was thunderstruck at what he saw. Pikachu got to his feet once again and shook off the damaging attack.

_"What the heck? How is Pikachu still standing after that?"_ Ash wondered.

"You look surprised, Ash," Red commented. "That was a good method of speeding up Solar Beam by using the sunlight that was provided, but don't forget, Pikachu will not take as much damage when your pokémon has taken a good amount of damage itself."

_"Is that what it was? How much damage did Bulbasaur take from that Volt Tackle? He looks fine."_

"Your move, Ash."

"Alright then, Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf!"

Bulbasaur was about to release his attack but froze. Electric rings encircled his body and prevented him from moving. Now Ash knew additional affect that electric attacks had after working with Pikachu for so long and was able to see why Bulbasaur's attack failed that time. The realization hit him with full force and he was not liking his odds of winning this round now."

"Paralysis," Ash muttered. "That means…"

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail," Red said pointing at Bulbasaur.

Pikachu wasted no time as he ran at Bulbasaur with his iron covered tail. He flipped in the air and brought the metal tail down on Bulbasaur's head knocking him silly. Bulbasaur swayed a little as he tried to keep his focus on Pikachu. Pikachu landed in front of him and crossed his arms with a smirk. Bulbasaur collapsed to the floor, defeated. Ash's fists shook as he lost the round. He held up Bulbasaur's ball and returned him to it. Even though Bulbasaur lost the round, he put up a great fight after not being used in a long time.

"Bulbasaur, awesome job. Take a long rest, you've earned it," Ash said as he looked at the ball.

After tucking the ball away, Ash looked back at Red with calculating eyes.

_"Just how strong is this guy?"_ Ash thought. _"If what he said last night was true, does that mean I'm supposed to be that strong in actuality?"_

"Alright, that's enough for now," Red said calling Pikachu back.

Pikachu ran back to Red and hopped up on his shoulder. Red scratched his companion's head as he walked over to Ash. Ash was still a little skeptic at the outcome of the fight but calmed himself down. He knew that he was being trained and the only way to improve was to learn from his mistakes. No doubt Red would have some input on his performance during the battle.

* * *

"Take a seat so we can discuss the battle," Red said pointing at the rock.

Ash sat down on the flat rock and Red took the one beside him. Pikachu climbed on Ash's lap and received a pat on the head. Ash turned his attention back to Red who folded his hands in front of his mouth as he got ready to give Ash his critique.

"Tell me how you think you did," Red said as his red eyes locked with Ash's.

"I don't think I did too bad my first time around but it wasn't great either," Ash replied. "I did use a few tactics by using the field to my advantage as well as offensive and defensive power."

"Okay. Now why do you think your pokémon were defeated quickly?"

"It's just like you said during our battle. They took a lot of damage which in turn weakened their attack power and endurance."

"Good. Now I'll tell you what I saw that you should take to mind if you want to improve."

"I'm listening."

"We'll start with our first round with Gible and Pikachu. You had a pokémon that was immune to the majority of Pikachu's attacks which is good. Now the biggest thing I saw that Gible lacked was speed."

Ash had a quizzical look on his face as he heard that. How was speed a factor in the match?

"How did you think of that?" Ash asked.

"I mainly saw it when Gible attempted to use Dig and then Draco-Meteor," Red replied. "Gible's reaction time was too slow after he surfaced under Pikachu which was when he took the most damage from Iron Tail. Had he been quicker, he could have either did a block with another move or avoided it completely."

"How can he avoid it when he's in midair?"

"That's something you'll have to figure out on your own time. I'm not going to spoon feed you the answers, Ash."

Ash sighed at Red's response and motioned for him to continue with his critique.

"Now Draco-Meteor was the other thing," Red spoke again. "It's good that you have a move that covers a large area to deal damage, but the downside is that it takes too long to use the move."

"Yeah, I did notice that," Ash said with a nod. "You could have had Pikachu use Quick Attack right there when Gible was charging it and end the fight."

"Very good. Now back to what I said about speed. If you can find a way to increase the speed of Draco-Meteor, that can be a key attack for future use instead of a last resort."

"I see."

"Now for the second round when you used Bulbasaur you did a lot better. You used the field and your mental agility proved itself by using other means for an attack that Bulbasaur could use like having him grip the ground to absorb the electricity."

"Thanks."

"Now I don't really have much to say on that round because you did a lot better and didn't have a repeat mistake. All I'll say is to keep in mind that even though there is no type advantage, when a pokémon takes damage they will lose their strength and that does not count for just endurance purposes. You have to factor in their offensive and defensive capabilities."

"I will."

Red nodded at Ash and stood up giving a stretch. He started walking back to the light and Ash stood up as well. Just before Red was about to leave, Ash asked him the question on his mind.

"So when we battle again tomorrow, what pokémon will you use?"

"You'll be facing Pikachu until you can defeat him efficiently," Red replied looking over his shoulder.

"Why? Wouldn't it make sense to rotate your pokémon?"

"Ash, I'm going to stop you right there. It does make sense to rotate pokémon inside and outside of battle, but listen closely. If you can't even take out Pikachu, you will not stand a chance against me in a full six on six battle. We won't fight each other in a full battle until you are capable of taking out each one of my pokémon individually. Pikachu is your first test, so until you can defeat him, you will continue fighting him."

"I see. Kind of hit below the belt there, but I see what you're saying."

"I'm doing you a favor by not sugarcoating my words. I'm training you to become me and the only way to do that is to give it to you straight. I will be your biggest challenge and the only way for you to get on my level is to keep up this training."

"I understand, Red."

Red gave a nod and walked into the light, disappearing from the chamber. Ash did not feel insulted by Red's words at all, in fact, he felt even more motivated to face him again tomorrow. Looking down at Pikachu he gave a grin and received one in return.

"It's almost hard to believe that's supposed to be me, huh buddy?" Ash asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"Well, he may be a good trainer but he really sucks at saying goodbye."

"Pi."

* * *

Ash's eyes fluttered open and he glanced at his alarm clock. He gave a groan and buried his face in his hands since it was early. He had woken up at five o'clock and there was no way he would be able to fall back asleep. Pikachu stirred a little and sat up as well rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Ash sighed as he looked out the window at the dark sky. The sun wouldn't be up for another hour, but if he left for Viridian Forest now, he could possibly find the friend he was looking for.

"Time to get up, Pikachu," Ash said jumping out of bed.

"Pika," Pikachu yawned as he followed after Ash.

Pikachu landed on the floor and gave a long stretch as Ash got dressed. Ash finished putting on his clothes and picked up the Poké Ball that contained Charizard. He gave a grin and put on his hat before departing his room with Pikachu following him close behind. He tiptoed down the stairs again to keep his mom from waking up. Opening the door, he let Pikachu out of the house first before closing it slowly behind him.

"Come on out, Charizard," Ash said throwing the Poké Ball up.

The ball opened with a crack and Charizard materialized before him giving a growl in greeting.

"Charizard, are you up to flying us to Viridian Forest to search for Pidgeot?" Ash asked.

Charizard gave a loud roar and lowered himself down to allow Ash and Pikachu to climb on. Once Ash was on Charizard's back, he gave him a gentle pat on the back to signal he was ready for takeoff. Charizard's wings opened wide with a whoosh and he gave a few strong flaps to get airborne. As they got higher into the air, Charizard began soaring towards Viridian Forest.

"Alright Charizard, let's see how fast you can fly," Ash said giving him a pat on the back.

Charizard gave a roar and his speed increased dramatically as he tilted his wings and let the wind carry him. It was long afterward until they were flying high over Viridian City which was still in darkness save for the streetlights that were illuminating the streets as the sun was just starting to rise on the horizon. Charizard flapped his wings and gained a boost and shot forth a great distance before letting the wind carry him again.

"I gotta hand it to you, Charizard, your speed has increased a lot since the last time I saw you," Ash complimented. "I guess all that training at the Charicific Valley is really paying off."

Charizard gave a smile and nodded after spouting a burst of flames from his nostrils. They were now high over Viridian Forest after shooting past Viridian City in record time of a minute. Ash, Pikachu and Charizard were now keeping their eyes peeled for any flocks of Pidgey and Pidgeotto in search for one of their oldest friends. It was proving to be a challenge to find groups of Pidgey. Ash gave a sigh as he looked around the area again after not being able to find anything.

"It might be too early for them to hunt so they may still be waiting in their nests," Ash said to his two companions. "Alright, why don't we land and take a break to eat something?"

Charizard and Pikachu agreed with the plan and the three of them descended to a nearby clearing, causing the bushes and shrubs to rustle. Ash and Pikachu jumped off of Charizard's back allowing him to give a stretch. Ash reached into his back and pulled out a container of pokémon food for both Charizard and Pikachu and poured it into two dishes he brought along.

"Eat up you two. We can't work on an empty stomach," Ash said sitting down and pulling out an orange.

The three of them sat there munching down on their breakfast enjoying each other's company. It was rather peaceful to eat as they waited for the sun to come up to give them the light they needed to see. The trees gave a rustle from above and a large flock of Pidgey soared over the clearing. This caught Ash's attention as he began to search for Pidgeot in the large mass of birds. His spirits dropped as he did not see his old friend and he resumed eating his orange in silence. Charizard and Pikachu finished eating and Charizard let out a crude belch as he sat back and relished in the tasty breakfast.

"Nice," Ash said to Charizard with a laugh.

A loud crash came from the distance garnering the attention of Ash, Pikachu and Charizard. The three of them immediately bolted upright and took a defensive position to prepare themselves for a surprise attack. When nothing came at them, they relaxed and exchanged looks of relief. Another loud crash came from ahead and now it was starting to gain the interest of Ash, Pikachu and Charizard. Ash turned to look at his two friends and a smile.

"Let's go see what all the commotion is about," Ash said as he started to walk in the direction of the noise.

Pikachu and Charizard were following close behind as they, too, were now curious to what the ruckus was.

* * *

After walking for about five minutes, Ash, Charizard and Pikachu came to another large clearing. They had followed the source of the sound and it led them to a sight that was torn up. Trees were snapped, the ground was now filled with holes and the cause of it was a teenage boy and couple of his pokémon.

The boy himself stood at a tall six foot two. He had a Caucasian complexion, short straight brown hair, lean muscle, green eyes and a large scar across the bridge of his nose that connected to both of his cheeks. He was currently wearing a black beanie and athletic attire as he did his training with his pokémon.

"Alright, Venusaur, let's go again," the boy said. "Chief, you almost got the speed down. We'll get it right this time."

"Pika!" A Pikachu, now known as Chief replied.

Ash was now interested in the kind of speed training that the boy and his Pikachu were doing. The boy picked a football off of the ground and handed it to Venusaur and ran a few feet behind him. Chief got to his side and was on all fours ready to run.

"Hut one! Hut two! Hut three, go!" The boy yelled.

Venusaur used his vine and launched the ball back to his master who caught it with both hands. He then wound his arm back and gave a hard throw and the football went sailing high in the air and was getting away.

"Do it, Chief!" The boy said turning to his friend.

"Pika!" Chief said as he bounded after the ball.

"Use Agility!"

Chief's speed seemed to increase tenfold as he ran. He vanished briefly before appearing again ten feet from his original spot and continued to do so until he was just ahead of the ball. Chief sprung high into the air and caught the ball with his paws before landing on a tree branch.

"And Derek Fiers' pass is complete to Chief for a seventy yard touchdown reception!" Derek cheered.

Derek gave a high five to Venusaur's vine as Chief made his way back over to them. He jumped into the air and slammed the football into the ground. He jumped up on Derek's shoulder and received scratch on his head.

"Nice job, Chief! You finally learned Agility," Derek said taking a sip of water.

As this was going on, Ash was pretty intrigued by what he saw as a training method. Derek used a combination of athleticism as well as a challenging way to test his Pikachu's use of the move Agility. Red's words echoed through his head as he looked at the scene before him.

_"This is the time where you can be innovative and do something that's not the norm."_

Ash looked and Pikachu and Charizard who seemed fairly interested at the sight before them. He grinned at his two friends and received one in return.

"Should we go and introduce ourselves?" Ash whispered.

He received a nod from both of them and smiled before standing up. Ash, Charizard and Pikachu walked into the clearing towards Derek. Venusaur and Chief both perked up at sensing the new arrival and turned around to look at them with curiosity. Derek noticed his pokémon were preoccupied with looking at something else and turned around to see Ash, Charizard and Pikachu.

"Hey," Derek said with a small wave.

"Hey," Ash said back. "That was some pretty cool training you were doing there."

"Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the show."

"So your name is Derek Fiers then?"

"The one and only. It's pretty cool to meet you as well, Ash Ketchum."

"You know my name?"

"Everyone from Pallet Town knows your name, kid."

Ash was a little surprised by the answer he received from Derek for two reasons. The first was that Derek knew his name and the second was the fact that Derek himself was from Pallet Town. In all of his years growing up, Ash never met Derek which was weird because his mom pretty much introduced him to all the neighbors and kids when he was really young.

"You're from Pallet Town too? I've never seen you around," Ash said.

"To be fair I don't live in the town itself," Derek replied. "I live outside the town in a small farming community."

"Okay, that would make sense because I know almost everybody in Pallet Town after my mom introduced me when I was young."

Derek gave a laugh at Ash's response to which Ash laughed as well. They both fell silent for a moment before Derek gave a stretch and walked over to a Venusaur who had his bag. He gave Venusaur a pat after taking the bag and throwing it over his shoulder.

"Well, it was nice meeting you Ash," Derek said holding out his hand. "I've got to get home or my old lady will throw a fit. I'm just getting back from Sinnoh."

"Wait, were you at the Lily of the Valley Conference last month?" Ash asked quickly.

"Yeah, I placed in the top four and got second."

"So it was you that faced off against Tobias in the last round there?"

"Yeah."

Derek fell silent as he thought back to the battle he had with Tobias. He failed to even take out his Darkrai which had decimated his entire team in the battle. His fists clenched tightly at the mere thought of Tobias and Darkrai.

"Hey, before you go, would you be willing to battle me?" Ash asked.

"You want to battle me?" Derek asked a little surprised.

"Yeah! I like to battle anyone who got as far as I did in a league."

"Okay, you're on. What do you want to do?"

"A quick one on one battle since I know both you and I have things to do today. Let's make this quick and interesting. Your Pikachu against my Pikachu."

Derek took another drink of water as he thought about the challenge Ash presented him with. He was not a coward and he had originally wanted to battle Ash in the Lily of the Valley Conference anyway. He smirked at Ash and received one in return.

"Alright Ash, you're on," Derek said having Venusaur move back.

"Great! I want to see what your Pikachu is capable of," Ash said as he moved Charizard out of the battle area.

* * *

Once the area was cleared out, Derek had Chief take his position on the field to which Ash's Pikachu mimicked. Chief and Pikachu stared each other down with a cocky smirk as they each had the same thought in mind. Derek and Ash looked at each other and nodded to show they were ready.

"Ash, you get the first move," Derek said straightening his beanie.

"Alright, Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash ordered.

Pikachu shot at Chief, vanishing and appearing as he advanced near Chief. Derek waited for a minute before having Chief make his move.

"Chief, use Dig!" Derek said.

"Pika!" Chief replied as he burrowed into the forest floor.

Pikachu came to a grinding halt as he looked around wildly for Chief. His ears perked up a bit as he felt the ground stir beneath him. Pikachu jumped back just in time to avoid the attack and watched as Chief soared into the air. Ash used this chance to pull a strategy that Red used against him last night in their battle.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash yelled.

"Chief, counter back Iron Tail as well!" Derek shouted.

Pikachu jumped into the air after Chief and coated his tail in the metal alloy and gave a hard swing at Chief. Chief was on the defensive as he too covered his tail with the metal and went to block the attack. There was a loud clang as both Iron Tails intercepted each other to create a stalemate. Chief and Pikachu used the force created from the hit to push away from each other to gain ground for their next attack.

"Chief, use Agility!" Derek hollered.

Chief ran at Pikachu and vanished before appearing to his side. He started running in a circle in hopes to catch Pikachu off guard. As that was happening, Ash smirked to himself as he decided to use his trick to prevent Chief from getting in close after distracting Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use your Counter Shield!" Ash said making a fist.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied back as he charged up a Thunderbolt.

Pikachu started spinning on his back and an electric barrier surrounded his body to stop Chief from getting close. The defensive strategy worked as a bolt of electricity hit Chief on his arm making him jump back to come up with a new tactic. Pikachu stopped his shield and jumped to his feet again with sparks emitting from his cheeks.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

"Chief, dodge it with Quick Attack!" Derek shouted.

Pikachu charged up some electricity and a large bolt of lightning shot from him to Chief. Chief jumped to the side quickly and avoided the strong attack and charged at Pikachu. Pikachu continued to use Thunderbolt after Thunderbolt in hopes to his Chief but he was proving to be too fast for the attack. Just as Chief was upon Pikachu, Ash shouted out his next command.

"Hit him with Iron Tail!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu covered his tail in the strong metal and gave a hard swing as Chief jumped at him. There was a clunk as the tail connected with Chief's head and knocked him silly. Chief stood up and swayed as he tried to recollect himself in order to fight back. Ash used his opening as a chance to score another hit on Chief while he was dazed.

"Pikachu, use Double-Edge!" Ash said quickly.

Pikachu lunged at Chief and dove headfirst into his stomach. Chief's face scrunched up in pain as he was launched back from the hard hitting attack. He skidded across the ground and managed to get to his feet after coming to a stop. He shook his head and cleared his senses before glaring back at Pikachu.

"Chief, get in close with Agility!" Derek ordered.

"Pikachu, get ready to attack on my command!" Ash said.

Pikachu got on all fours as he watched Chief's movements closely. It was just like before when he used it. He would vanish one moment and then appear the next which made it hard to determine where he would strike. Ash made his decision when he saw that the gap was closing rapidly.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash barked.

"Chief, dodge and use Mega Punch!" Derek countered back.

Pikachu had covered his tail in the iron once again and swung at Chief's head. What he didn't expect was for Chief to jump over the attack. Chief's fist was glowing white with power and he gave a hard punch at Pikachu. The punch connected with his cheek and sent him spiraling back towards Ash. He hit the ground hard and bounced back to land at Ash's feet.

_"Whoa!"_ Ash thought as he witnessed the raw power of Chief's Mega Punch. "Pikachu, are you okay?"

"Pika," Pikachu said with a wince as he stood up.

"Good, let's wrap this up!"

Pikachu nodded back at Ash and got back on all fours again. Ash had been enjoying his battle against Derek. He hadn't seen a Pikachu with this kind of power since he battled Ritchie back at the Indigo League.

"I have to hand it to you, Derek. Your Pikachu is definitely no pushover," Ash said with a grin.

"Thanks, yours is very impressive as well," Derek nodded. "Now let's wrap this up! I'm not going to lose that easily!"

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"

"Chief, use Volt Tackle and hit him with everything you have! Let's show them a final attack of courage!"

"Pika!" Pikachu and Chief both replied to their trainers.

Pikachu dashed at Chief while Chief charged at Pikachu, both of them were picking up speed as they got closer. Seconds later they were covered in a bright golden light of electricity as they were just upon each other.

"Pika! Pika! Pika! Pika! Pika! Pika!" Pikachu cried as he bent his head down to crash into Chief.

Both attacks met head on and created a blinding flash of light. There was a moment of silence and then a loud boom sounded that echoed around the entire area. The pressure from the attacks created a strong gust of wind making Derek and Ash shield their eyes and the trees rustled wildly. The wind finally died down and the smoke cleared revealing Chief and Pikachu staring at each other. Seconds ticked by before Chief fell spread eagle on his back, defeated.

"We did it, Pikachu!" Ash cheered.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried back as he ran to Ash and jumped on his shoulder.

Derek smirked as he felt the adrenaline leave his system. He finally had the battle with Ash that he wanted and it was definitely a good fight. His Pikachu was insanely strong and would more than likely be a good rival for Chief to surpass someday. Derek walked over to Chief and picked him up carefully to avoid hurting him.

"You were awesome, Chief," Derek said as he ruffled Chief's head.

"Chu," Chief said back with a lazy smile.

Ash, Pikachu and Charizard walked over to Derek to thank him for the battle. He held out his hand which Derek took firmly and shook.

"That was an amazing battle, Derek," Ash said.

"Thanks Ash, I appreciate it," Derek replied with a nod.

"Well, I won't keep you from getting back home. Thanks again for the battle."

"No problem. I guess I'll see you around."

Derek returned Venusaur to his ball and Chief climbed onto his shoulder. He began walking away and Ash watched his retreating form as it started to vanish into the thicket of trees.

"Hey Derek, let's battle again sometime!" Ash called.

Ash waited for some kind of response and got one in the form of a wave as he continued walking. He turned back to look at Charizard and Pikachu who looked upbeat at meeting a new potential rival to face again. He looked up at the sky and the sun was now up and shining brightly. Charizard sunk low and allowed Ash to climb on in order to continue their search for Pidgeot. With the sun up to guide them there should be no problem finding their former companion. Charizard flapped his wings and took to the skies so they could continue their search.

* * *

Miles away back in Viridian City, a young man was sitting at his kitchen table going through the mail that had been delivered. He had just come back from his latest journey in the Sinnoh region. He finished in the top eight and while that wasn't bad by any means, he still wished he could have placed first in the league. He sighed to himself as he tossed another letter aside that was for his mother. The boy himself stood at a solid six feet tall. He had good muscle definition from training with his pokémon, pale blue eyes a pale complexion and short messy dark brown hair.

"Wow, no mail for me? I must not be loved enough," the boy said to himself.

Just as he was about to throw the stack of letters to the side, his eye caught sight of a small envelope with the Pokémon League seal on the front. His name was on the letter and he quickly picked it up from the pile. He was curious as to what the contents of the letter contained and did not want to wait any longer to find out. He opened the envelope and a small letter slid out into his hand. Unfolding the letter, his eyes began to scan it and they widened in brief surprise before a smirk worked its way across his face.

"Huh, I guess somebody does love me," he said. "Even if it's an old geezer named Charles Goodshow."

He set the letter down on the table and went to the fridge to get something to drink. As he found a soda in the back of the fridge, he read the letter again in his head.

_Dear Mr. Wortham,_

_I would like to extend an offer to you that is only presented to the most prestigious of pokémon trainers in the eyes of the Pokémon League. There is a tournament that takes place during the summer shortly after the Pokémon Leagues of each region come to a close. The Pokémon World Tournament takes place from late May until mid-August and it will be held at the Indigo Plateau this year. If you wish to partake in this event, please arrive at the Indigo Plateau no later than May 25th to register. I truly hope to see you there, Mr. Wortham._

_Sincerely, Charles Goodshow_

Leonard Wortham took another sip of his soda before sitting back down at the table. He had less than a week to register for the Pokémon World Tournament.

* * *

**Alright, that's the chapter and I hope you all got a kick out of the first battles of the story with many to follow later. So far I believe I've done a good job of portraying Ash's character properly and all the while developing him too. So as you can see the first two OCs have been introduced being Derek Fiers (me) and Leonard Wortham (TheLeadBrick) hopefully I portrayed him well for a first appearance. I have information of the OCs below here and I have story shoutouts too. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, so until next time, see you.**

**OC Info:**

**1.) I'm still choosing characters to be support roles in the story. I'm just saying this right now, if your character placed in the top 10 every time or three times or more, chances are you won't get it. I'm not doing this to be mean but those that did that well will be strong trainers to fight for the support characters and Ash because I got a lot of character that were in the top 10 three times or more which isn't realistic in my mind for a few reasons.**

**2.) Characters and 'powers'. I received about three or so characters that can use aura. I'm not having that aspect in my story, so there will be no aura powers.**

**3.) Romance. I want to say this clearly. Your OC cannot be paired with a canon character ie Ash, Dawn, Brock, May, etc. They will only be paired with other OCs.**

**4.) Some of the OCs I received are missing parts of the form so I will contact those that are to tell them to fix the needed areas.**

**Support OCs (Derek doesn't count since he's not a submitted character)**

**1.) Leonard Wortham**

**2.)**

**3.)**

**4.)**

**5.)**

**Story Shoutouts:**

**"Unova Eclipse: Bringer of Change" by bluemagesfairytail**

**Fey didn't want this to happen. Not again. Now they're seventeen, and brought together again. But this time, instead of Galactic, Plasma lurks, and a traitor surfaces. New faces, new chances, new possibilities. But it's hard to believe one of them has the intent to sabotage them all.**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**

******"Time of Courage" by FiammaJoule: **

******When there's nowhere left to run, where do you go? When the government is after you and everyone appears to be your enemy, who do you turn to? Not your friends and not your family. After all is said and done, you only have each other and your Pokemon. It's time to step up and steel your courage if you want to survive.**

******"Thieves of Ordia" by FallingSunset**

******Steampunk AU. Ordia: a region full of marvelous inventions and booming with all sorts of Pokemon. Erin begins her journey in the industrious city of Ironstead. Soon she finds out that all is not right in Ordia as thieves have been showing up everywhere, stealing Legendary Pokemon and causing chaos to the world. Can Erin and defeat the league and the thieves?**


	5. Rock you like a Hurricane

**Hey all, I'm here with another update for Becoming the Master. Thanks a bunch for the continued support as I now have 32 favs, 37 alerts, 64 reviews and 2500 hits after one week, thanks a lot! I hope you all enjoy this chapter since it is action packed. I have more OC info at the bottom as well and I address a point that people have brought up last chapter about the OCs being unrealistic so I can explain my reasoning so you all can understand where I'm coming from, so I implore you to read it. That aside, I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash's search for a Pidgeot comes to a close as he reunites with his old friend. However their reunion is crashed by an old enemy.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks_

* * *

Ash, Charizard and Pikachu were scaling the skies high above Viridian Forest in search of their old comrade, Pidgeot who had left them a couple years back to protect his flock from the Spearows that attacked it. Ash had vowed to return someday to bring his old partner back and that's what he was going to do. Finding Pidgeot was the priority goal of his agenda for the day and he would not rest until he accomplished it. All three of them scanned the blue sky in search for large flocks of Pidgey in hopes to spot their familiar companion.

_"Where are you, Pidgeot?"_ Ash thought to himself as he squinted in the distance.

His eyes landed on a large group of flying pokémon and he leaned forward to try and observe a little closer. As Charizard neared the mass of bird pokémon, Ash was able to confirm it was a group of Pidgey. A grin worked its way across Ash's face as he had finally found the group he was looking for.

"Looks like we found them," Ash said to Charizard and Pikachu.

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered.

"Keep your eyes open for Pidgeot and I'll start calling for him."

Charizard and Pikachu each nodded and began looking around the large flock for Pidgeot. It was proving to be quite the challenge to find Pidgeot in the large group of Pidgey and Pidgeotto. Ash peered over Charizard's side and looked down in search for a bird with yellow and pink feathers.

"Pidgeot, are you here?" Ash hollered into the crowd.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu cried out.

No response came after Ash and Pikachu called out for Pidgeot. They waited for a couple of seconds before trying again.

"Pidgeot, it's me!" Ash yelled again. "Are you here?"

"Pika!" Pikachu yelled out.

This time their cries were answered. A loud squawk came from the massive flock from under them. Ash, Pikachu and Charizard looked down and they saw Pigeot sailing up towards them. Ash grinned down at his old friend as he began flying beside him. Pidgeot looked just as thrilled to see him as well. From the looks of it, Pidgeot seemed to have grown a lot stronger since that last time Ash had seen him after he evolved during his party. Pidgeot's eyes held nothing but brimming confidence and strength which was no doubt why he was the head of the flock.

"Good to see you buddy," Ash said rubbing Pidgeot's head. "Did you miss me?"

Ash received a loud cry in return which made him beam broadly. He ruffled Pidgeot's mane once again before placing his hand back on Charizard.

"Hey Pidgeot, do you think you can land for a minute so I can talk with you?" Ash asked.

Pidgeot gave a nod and dove towards the clearing that was far below them. Charizard followed close behind and was soon followed by the large flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto. Pidgeot beat his wings as he landed gracefully on the forest floor with Charizard mimicking him moments later. Ash dismounted Charizard with Pikachu on his shoulder and walked over to Pidgeot who was looking at him with interest at his upcoming question.

"Glad you were able to talk to me for a minute, Pidgeot," Ash said scratching his friend's head. "I wanted to ask you a question that relates to a promise I made you a long time ago."

Pidgeot nodded for Ash to continue after hearing what he had to say.

"I received a letter from the Pokémon League president, Charles Goodshow. He's invited me to participate in the Pokémon World Tournament and I've decided to take up his offer," Ash began. "I want you to come back to the team to battle alongside me again. Of course this is only if you want to. I know you're busy looking after the flock here."

Pidgeot gave a nod in understanding as he processed Ash's words. He had kept his promise to come back and bring him back to the team once again and he wasn't forcing him to come back because of his responsibilities of guarding his flock. Pidgeot was ecstatic that he was being asked back and was more than willing to follow Ash to the end. He had a special bond with his master and that would stick until his last breath.

"So what do you say, Pidgeot?" Ash asked. "Do you want to battle with me again? It'll be just like old times."

Pidgeot nodded fervently and Ash smiled at his old friend. He kneeled down and wrapped his arms around Pidgeot in a hug to which Pidgeot rested his head on Ash's shoulder. As the two friends were enjoying their reunion, a loud cry came from overhead gaining their attention. Pidgeot immediately snapped to attention and his eyes narrowed dangerously as he heard the shrill cry that was released. Ash craned his neck to see what Pidgeot was staring at and his eyes widened in surprise. High in the sky was a massive flock of Spearow with a Fearow leading the group.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," Ash muttered. "Is that the same Fearow from back in the day?"

Pidgeot spread his wings and shot up to his flock to prepare them for the battle that was about to take place. Not willing to let his old friend fight alone, Ash turned to Pikachu and Charizard with a determined look to which they nodded. They would stand and help Pidgeot defend his herd from the aggressive pokémon heading towards them.

"Pikachu, Charizard, we've got work to do," Ash said climbing on Charizard. "Let's go!"

* * *

Charizard gave a roar and took to the air again, ready to unleash his power against the overwhelming amount of Spearow. Ash glared at the troublemaking pokémon as he neared it with Pidgeot and his flock flying close behind.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Ash yelled pointing at the first wave of Spearow.

Charizard opened his mouth and a large jet of fire soared towards the flock causing them to disperse. Some Spearow were hit with the blistering attack and fell out of the sky towards the trees below. Ash did feel a little sorry for the tiny pokémon for getting taken down like that but he wasn't going to let that stop him from helping his friend defend his flock. Pikachu's cheeks crackled with electricity as he sat back to back with Ash to aim at any tailing Spearow. Sure enough, a small group of Spearow detached from the main element to chase after Charizard. Pikachu glanced back at Ash and received a nod in return.

"Pikachu, intercept any of them that come after us!" Ash ordered.

"Pi!" Pikachu nodded releasing a Thunderbolt at the small group.

The Thunderbolt hit the first Spearow and sent it spiraling to the trees below. Pikachu sent another Thunderbolt at the pursuing Spearow which connected with another one and stunned it. Charizard tilted his wings up and began to do a loop in hopes to shake off any Spearow that was closing in. The sudden movement caused Pikachu to lose his balance and he fell off Charizard's back.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled in horror as his friend began plummeting to the ground.

He let out a sigh of relief as Pikachu was caught by Pidgeot who dove down to save him. Pikachu landed on Pidgeot's back and gave him a pat as thanks. He glared at the Spearow that were still hot on Pidgeot's tail. They were getting too close for him to use Thunderbolt properly so he did the next best thing. He waited for one of the Spearow to get within arms-length and coated his tail in metal. Pikachu performed his Iron Tail just in time to hit Spearow in the head and send it back at its comrades. Spearow collided with two others and they plunged to the trees below. Once they disappeared from sight, Pikachu gave a triumphant cry and returned his focus to the air battle taking place above them.

Charizard was still being followed by a dozen Spearow and was having difficulty trying to defend himself. He was only able to engage the Spearow in front of him and that left his back and Ash exposed to punishment. Pikachu pointed at Ash and Charizard to which Pidgeot gave a cry of acknowledgement. He folded his wings and soared at the Spearow behind Charizard. A loud thump sounded as Pidgeot hit two of them with a Double-Edge attack. Pikachu quickly jumped off and back onto Charizard's back to provide rear security.

"Thought I lost you there for a second, buddy!" Ash said as he patted Pikachu on the back.

"Pika!" Pikachu said sending another Thunderbolt at another group of Spearow closing in.

Pidgeot's wings began to glow white as he dashed at some more Spearow before hitting them hard. His Wing Attack proved to be effective as he knocked them out of the sky. Ash noticed that Pidgeot seemed very aggressive and was a lot stronger from the last time he saw him. He couldn't wait to see what else Pidgeot was capable of once they started training together again.

"Charizard, use Fire Spin on that group dead ahead!" Ash yelled.

Charizard opened his mouth and scorching flames shot forth in a spiraling motion and engulfed a dozen Spearow coming from their front. Ash whooped loudly and gave Charizard a pat on the back for a job well done. A loud cry came from above and Ash looked up only to duck as Fearow narrowly missed hitting his head. Fearow quickly turned around and bolted for them again making Ash growl in annoyance of the large pokémon.

"Charizard, bank right! We gotta shake him!" Ash ordered.

Charizard growled back and tipped his wings to glide right quickly. Ash gripped Pikachu tightly to prevent him from falling off again. Fearow was now further away but he continued his pursuit of Ash and Charizard. Charizard could see Fearow out of the corner of his eye and was watching closely for any surprise attacks. He banked left as Fearow sent an Air Slash at him and barely dodged the speedy attack. Fearow shot at them again and brought his beak back in hopes to peck Charizard. Charizard anticipated Fearow's attack and did another loop to dodge the large bird.

Charizard was currently mid loop before he got a clear line of sight at Fearow's back. He opened his mouth and sent a Flamethrower at him. Fearow took the attack head on and gave a loud cry as the blistering heat burned his body. He glared back at Charizard and turned around with his beak glowing white. Fearow began doing a corkscrew maneuver at Charizard and his attack smashed into Charizard's chest. Charizard gave a cry of pain and reeled back from the surprise attack. Unfortunately this movement caught Ash by surprise and he lost his grip on Charizard's back. Ash felt his stomach drop in surprise as he fell off of Charizard and down to the forest below.

He could see his life flash before his eyes and now knew that those with near death experiences weren't lying with that part. As the ground grew closer, Ash closed his eyes anticipating his death but what he didn't expect was for Pidgeot to fly under him just in time. Ash's body weight proved to be too much for Pidgeot to handle after he caught him and he began falling to the ground. Pidgeot and Ash went straight through some tree branches and hit one large branch, causing them to separate and fall to the forest floor. Ash hit the ground hard and rolled a few feet away and Pidgeot landed in the center of the clearing.

Ash opened his eyes a few seconds later and felt his head aching after hitting it against the ground from the landing. He coughed as he tried to take a deep breath after having the wind knocked out of him. Through his blurred vision he could see Pidgeot a few yards unmoving. Fighting through his dizzy state, Ash stood up and began stumbling towards Pidgeot to check on him. He fell to his knees as he reached his old friend and held him in his arms. Pidgeot was still breathing but he was knocked out from hitting the branch.

_"Pidgeot, I owe you big time,"_ Ash thought as he looked back up for Charizard and Pikachu.

Charizard and Pikachu were still fighting off the large flock of Spearow with the other Pidgey and Pidgeotto. They were being held up and it prevented them to go and check on Ash to see if he was okay. It was at this time that Fearow began descending to the clearing with Ash and Pidgeot in its sights. Ash gave a growl at the obstinate pokémon and was going to stop it from harming his friend any further. He gently set Pidgeot down and got in front of him holding his arms out in a defensive posture, much like he did with Pikachu the day he began his journey.

"Your fight's with me, Fearow!" Ash yelled as he glared at it. "Come and get me! Come on!"

He glanced behind him and saw Pidgeot coming around from his unconscious state. He sighed in relief that his friend was still okay and returned his focus to Fearow who was preparing to charge at him with his beak. Everything seemed to go in slow motion for Ash as Fearow flew at him with his sharp beak. Fearow drew nearer and nearer and Ash refused to budge. Whether it was from being petrified or determination to defend Pidgeot, he didn't know, but he was stunned at what happened next.

Pidgeot had intercepted Fearow with Double-Edge and sent him back from the hard tackle. He had moved with exceptional speed that Ash had not seen all day. Ash's mouth was open in awe when Pidgeot's wings were spread wide and his eyes began to glow hazel. Pidgeot began to flap his wings rapidly and the wind started to pick up. Without warning, Pidgeot's wings started to glow white as he continued flapping them. Large crescent shaped blades of wind went barreling towards Fearow and proved to be too quick for the large bird to avoid. The first blade of wind hit Fearow in the chest and exploded in a loud blast, knocking him up into the air.

With each blade of wind that hit Fearow another blast was created and sent him higher and higher. Ash's jaw was on the floor in amazement as he had never seen an attack like that before. He was trying to figure out what it was as Pidgeot continued his onslaught against Fearow for attempting to attack Ash.

_"What is that attack?"_ Ash wondered. _"It's not Wing Attack and it's too powerful to be Gust, it's not Whirlwind either. What is that move?"_

Ash observed his surroundings as Pidgeot continued his attack on Fearow. The trees around him were swaying violently from the violent windstorm that Pidgeot was making with his attack. The turbulent wind was blowing all over the place and causing all the airborne pokémon to stop their fighting to keep from being blown away. Ash looked back at Fearow as he took the last attack to his chest. The blast echoed through the area and Fearow fell out of the cloud of smoke and to the ground. Fearow crashed hard into the ground and didn't get back up.

* * *

When Fearow went down, the Spearow began to scatter. They had their resolve shattered after their leader was taken out by Pidgeot. Once the Spearow fled the area, Charizard, Pikachu and the flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto came to land in the clearing. Pidgeot had exhausted the last of his energy in that attack he used against Fearow and fell back to the ground. Ash caught his friend and held him in his arms. He smiled down at his friend and stroked his mane.

"Pidgeot, I don't know what you just did, but that was amazing," Ash said barely able to contain his grin.

Ash looked up at the dazed Fearow and then around at the flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto. He decided to end their problem once and for all. He sat Pidgeot up and plucked a fresh Poké Ball from his waist, walking over to Fearow. Ash tossed the ball and it hit Fearow, opening up and sucking him inside. The ball landed on the ground and began to wiggle wildly as Fearow tried to escape capture. Everyone in the clearing watched the ball not daring to breathe as it continued to shake. There was a light click as the ball stopped wiggling and Ash walked over to it and picked it up.

"That takes care of that," Ash muttered as he looked at ball containing his newly acquired Fearow.

Ash minimized the ball and attached it back to his hip before turning around and walking back to Pidgeot who was now standing upright. He kneeled in front of Pidgeot and rested his hand on his head giving it a gentle pat. Charizard and Pikachu walked up behind Ash and were looking down at Pidgeot with proud expressions. They were glad to see that their friend had grown stronger since he departed the group and were now looking forward to fighting alongside him again.

"Alright Pidgeot, I've got your ball right here if you still want to come with us," Ash said holding Pidgeot's old Poké Ball.

Pidgeot looked at the ball and then at his flock. They were all looking back at him, but they were giving him looks of encouragement. It was right there that Pidgeot understood that his work with keeping the flock protected was complete and it was time for him to move on. They were now able to take care of themselves efficiently with Fearow gone and unable to lead the Spearow flock. Pidgeot looked around at his flock and bowed his head to them in thanks.

"It's because of you that they can now fight for themselves, Pidgeot," Ash said patting Pidgeot on his head. "Now it's time to make your decision. You are more than welcome to roam free or you can come back with us. The choice is yours."

Pidgeot looked up at Ash and then at his old ball. Without hesitation, Pidgeot tapped the ball with his wing making Ash, Charizard and Pikachu grin. Their friend was returning to battle with them once again. The flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto began to flap their wings and departed the clearing moments later with Pidgeot watching them leave. Once the flock had vanished from sight, Pidgeot looked back at Ash. Ash aimed the ball at Pidgeot and said the words he had been waiting to say for the past couple of days.

"Pidgeot, return," Ash said recalling Pidgeot back to his ball.

The red beam landed on Pidgeot and he was absorbed into the ball. Ash, Charizard and Pikachu looked at the ball and grinned broadly. The old gang was slowly coming back together and it was only a matter of time before they were all together again.

"Welcome back, Pidgeot," Ash said smiling down at the ball.

* * *

**Alright, that's the chapter, I hope you all enjoyed it. The move Pidgeot used on Fearow is in the chapter title. Below here I have information regarding OCs again along with story shoutouts and all that good stuff. Take it easy and I'll see you all next time.**

**OC information**

**1.) I decided to add one more slot to the support characters to make it an even six supporting characters instead of five where there'll be three males and three females.**

**2.) I'm still choosing OCs for supporting roles, so be patient.**

**3.) I want to make this clear as well. All OCs will be accepted, but only six will have the main focus as supporting characters. All others will be in to fill in time and be a possible arc character, so I'll find a use for all of them.**

**Questions/Statements to answer:**

**1.) I said in the last chapter that a lot of OCs I received were unrealistic and I still stand by that opinion. Now I felt a little attacked by a few of you when I said this, but I ask you read my opinion below to understand where I'm coming from.**

**Opinion: The majority of characters I received always placed in the top 10 three times or every time and some of them stated they even beat champions and became frontier brains in my mind it seemed unrealistic. Reason being is because I'm looking at this from a statistical standpoint along with probability. Just hear me out for a second. What are the chances a fresh trainer has of getting in the top ten on their first or second time during a league? Anime wise there's over 200 trainers in a conference league and they all vary in strength from veteran to novice with sudden death rounds. Chances are the novice trainers will be the first to drop before they can even get to the top ten, so in my mind the first time a trainer goes to a league it seems unlikely they'd place high on their first round. When you glorify your OC with so many achievements like that it shows no improvement as a character or any relatable flaws. That's why my guy only has one placement in the top 10 because I felt if I gave him two or more it seemed sueish to me so I stayed clear of that. Look at Ash too, he place in the top 16 the first time around in the Indigo League and afterword he did better each time showing development. **

**2.) Coli Chibi's statement from his review : Sheesh, Red's a beast... a bit too much of a beast to be honest. I know Ash is a bit of a noob most of the time, but, you know, he isn't absolutely horrible.**

**Answer: I honestly believe I was fair to Ash in this fight. Don't forget, Red stands as the paragon of all trainers and he's the strongest trainer in the Pokemon franchise. I didn't make Ash horrible either. I had him do fairly well for his first fight against Red for being able to score hits on Pikachu with Bulbasaur, but Ash would still lose because Red's Pikachu is insanely strong. He's not a horrible trainer, this is his learning experience.**

**3.) If you want to talk about your OC and anything I say, don't use the review box for it. That's supposed to be for sustainments and improves for the story. All I ask is you PM me if you want to discuss something like that.**

**Support OCs:**

**1.) Leonard Wortham**

**2.)**

**3.)**

**4.)**

**5.)**

**6.)**

**Story Shoutouts:**

**"Unova Eclipse: Bringer of Change" by bluemagesfairytail**

**Fey didn't want this to happen. Not again. Now they're seventeen, and brought together again. But this time, instead of Galactic, Plasma lurks, and a traitor surfaces. New faces, new chances, new possibilities. But it's hard to believe one of them has the intent to sabotage them all.**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**

******"Time of Courage" by FiammaJoule: **

******When there's nowhere left to run, where do you go? When the government is after you and everyone appears to be your enemy, who do you turn to? Not your friends and not your family. After all is said and done, you only have each other and your Pokemon. It's time to step up and steel your courage if you want to survive.**

******"Thieves of Ordia" by FallingSunset**

******Steampunk AU. Ordia: a region full of marvelous inventions and booming with all sorts of Pokemon. Erin begins her journey in the industrious city of Ironstead. Soon she finds out that all is not right in Ordia as thieves have been showing up everywhere, stealing Legendary Pokemon and causing chaos to the world. Can Erin and defeat the league and the thieves?**


	6. Hey Misty

**Hey all, I'm back with another update and I hope you enjoy it. I apologize that this may not have been out as early as I hoped, but I have had a pretty hectic week from Wednesday and it's still going on. I just got a break in between my assignments to do so. I would like to thank all of you for the continued support since I'm now at 76 reviews, 44 favorites, 49 alerts and 1 C2, so thanks a bunch. Don't forget to drop a review because that makes me want to give you guys more quality chapters. I have more OC info at the end along with story shoutouts and a couple high points of my week.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash returns home from Viridian Forest after successfully bringing Pidgeot back to the team. He comes across another letter that's addressed to him that makes him plan a trip to Cerulean City to see an old friend.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks_

* * *

The sun was high in the sky as Derek made his way down the dirt road to the small farming community near Pallet Town. Chief was resting peacefully on his shoulders after being worn out from the training and the battle with Ash. Derek was mouthing the lyrics to one of the many rock songs on his ipod as he continued his trek down the road to his house. He could not wait to get home and see his family after being away for almost a year on his last journey. Deep down he was hoping that his father would be home so he could have a battle with him to see if he improved in skill at all.

_"You will be my biggest test, Dad,"_ Derek thought. _"If I can take you out then I know I'm capable of taking on a Champion."_

Looking up, Derek felt a grin spread across his face as his eyes fell upon a lone ranch style home and a large red barn. He was home and he was eager to see his family again. Not being able to hold in his excitement any longer, Derek gave a loud whoop and started running towards the house. His desire to see his family seemed to increase his speed as he found himself standing beside the mailbox in front of the house. Deciding to spare his parents the task of getting the mail, he opened the mailbox and took the bundle of letters that were resting inside of it. His hands began flipping through the letters to see if anything of importance had come.

"Bill, bill, bill, magazine, letter for me…" Derek muttered as he checked each envelope. "Wait a second, what's this?"

Derek held up the letter that was addressed to him and saw the Pokémon League seal on the front of it. He cupped his chin as he began to wonder what the letter had to tell him. Was it in regards to the Lily of the Valley Conference? Derek shrugged to himself and tucked the letter in his pocket before bounding up to the front door. He took a deep breath and entered the house. As he glanced around, he could find no trace of anyone.

"Mom, Dad, are you here?" Derek called receiving no response. "Connor, Alexa?"

When he didn't receive any acknowledgement he sighed and walked to the kitchen. They must be out tending to other matters. He sat down at the table and Chief jumped off his perch from his shoulders and sat on the table. Derek scratched Chief's head as he dropped the letters on the table and looked at the one he pulled out of his pocket.

"Well, let's see what this is about," Derek said opening the envelope and pulling out the letter.

He unfolded the letter and looked at it with interest and his eyes widened after reading the end of it. He rubbed his tired eyes and read it again just to be sure he wasn't dreaming. After reading it again and confirming he wasn't seeing things, Derek felt a grin spread across his face. He looked at Chief and showed him the letter.

"Have a look at this, Chief," Derek said with excitement.

Chief's eyes moved back and forth as he read the letter and he perked up immediately. He had a determined look on his face as he looked up at Derek.

"I take it you're in, right?" Derek asked.

"Pika!" Chief nodded.

"Good. Now, let's get to work."

Derek set the letter on the table and walked outside.

_Dear Mr. Fiers,_

_I would like to extend an offer to you that is only presented to the most prestigious of pokémon trainers in the eyes of the Pokémon League. There is a tournament that takes place during the summer shortly after the Pokémon Leagues of each region come to a close. The Pokémon World Tournament takes place from late May until mid-August and it will be held at the Indigo Plateau this year. If you wish to partake in this event, please arrive at the Indigo Plateau no later than May 25th to register. I truly hope to see you there, Mr. Fiers._

_Sincerely, Charles Goodshow_

* * *

Ash, Charizard and Pikachu were flying back to Pallet Town after their eventful morning. So far, Ash was feeling very accomplished with his agenda today. He woke up early, battled against a strong opponent and he managed to locate his old friend, Pidgeot, successfully bringing him back on the team. There was nothing that could trample on his spirits right now and that made him feel even better. Looking down, Ash could see that he was soaring over the small farming community that was outside of Pallet Town. He remembered back to what Derek said about living there and made a mental note to find him and battle him again before the tournament.

Ash felt his stomach grumble as it demanded nourishment and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Sorry guys, I'm pretty hungry," Ash said with a chuckle.

"Pika," Pikachu said with a shake of his head.

Pallet Town was now in their sights and Charizard dove down to the house below them. His wings gave a couple big flaps to ease into a soft landing outside of the house. Delia came around the side of the house holding a rake and smiled at Ash.

"Ah, there you are!" Delia said as she walked over to him.

"Hey Mom, what are you up to?" Ash asked looking at her outdoor attire.

"I'm tending to my garden. What have you been doing today?"

"I just got back from Viridian Forest. I brought Pidgeot back."

"Oh that's wonderful! I guess that means you're hungry if you have been out all day?"

"You bet."

"Alright, well there are some leftovers from yesterday in the fridge if you want to heat that up."

"Sounds good."

Ash gave Charizard a pat on the back and let him glide to the back of the house to rest. He and Pikachu entered the house and strode over to the kitchen to chow down on lunch. Ash opened the fridge and found the leftovers and went over to the microwave to reheat them. As he waited for his food to heat up, Ash scanned the table and saw the mail sitting on it. He walked over to have a quick look to see what had come. As he thumbed through the envelopes he saw nothing but bills and magazines. When he came upon the last letter, he saw his name on it written in fairly neat handwriting. He was a little surprised at getting some more mail since he barely received any while at home.

"What's this?" Ash asked himself as he observed the letter.

Ash retrieved his food from the microwave once if finished cooking and sat at the table with Pikachu doing the same. While Ash was focused on the letter, Pikachu used his chance to steal a biscuit from Ash's plate. Not wanting to wait further, Ash opened the letter and began to read it as he ate. He was halfway through chewing some of his food when he choked in surprise at who sent the letter. It was a letter from one of his oldest friends, Misty. Pikachu looked a little concerned with Ash's surprise and looked at the letter. When he finished reading it, his face lit up in a big grin.

"Pika!" Pikachu said pointing at the letter and bouncing on his feet.

"Yeah buddy, I'm just as surprised as you are," Ash replied patting him on the head.

"Pika pi, Pikachu!"

Ash had not seen this ecstatic in a while and he couldn't blame him. He too was glad that Misty sent him a letter and for unknown reasons, it made him feel a little fuzzy inside. He brushed the weird feeling off and read the letter again.

_Dear Ash,_

_I'm not sure when this will reach you, but regardless of that, I was just writing to you to see how you have been doing since the end of your journey in the Sinnoh region. I watched you battle in the Lily of the Valley Conference on TV and I was very impressed with how much you have grown as a trainer since we first met. I'm not sure what you plan to do next whether it's going on another journey to Unova possibly or just taking a break, but whatever you plan to do, just know that I will support your decision and I'm sure Brock, Dawn, May and Max will, too. I guess I'll talk to you later, Ash. Keep up the good work!_

_Misty,_

_P.S. Be sure to stop by Cerulean City when you get the time. I miss you._

Ash felt his cheeks redden a little bit as he kept reading the end of the letter. He missed Misty too. She had been with him on three of his journeys and was one of his best friends. Pikachu looked up at Ash and saw his red face and a teasing smirk spread across his face. This caught Ash's attention as Pikachu had a playful look in his eyes. Ash raised an eyebrow at his partner and his brows furrowed at Pikachu's next action. Pikachu began batting his eyes at Ash and cupped his hands together. He rested his hands on his cheek and tilted his head while batting his eyes.

"Pikaaaa piiii," Pikachu drawled out and grinned when Ash's face turned even redder.

"That's not funny!" Ash yelled pointing at Pikachu with his face now brick red.

Pikachu began cackling as Ash got all defensive over his teasing and clutched his stomach while he rolled on the table. This just made Ash bury his face in his hands, completely embarrassed by his outburst and Pikachu's teasing. He started to chuckle a little bit as well but still tried to tell Pikachu off for what he did.

"Shut-up, it's not that funny," Ash laughed out.

Pikachu just laughed even harder and started pounding his tiny paws on the table. Ash leaned back in his chair and burst out laughing as well, not being able to hold it in any longer. Their laughter finally died down minutes later and Ash shoved another spoonful of food into his mouth. As he continued eating, Ash kept looking at the last line of Misty's letter. She wanted to see him again and he was more than willing to oblige her. He hadn't seen her since he traveled the Hoenn region when he bumped into her by random chance. Making up his mind, Ash finished the food on his plate before putting it in the sink.

"Come on, Pikachu," Ash said looking at his friend. "Let's go pay Misty a little visit."

"Pika!" Pikachu said with joy as he jumped up to Ash's shoulder.

Ash went to the bathroom to wash up before going to the back door. The front door opened and Ash knew he had to hurry or else his mom would try and reel him in to help her with housework. In the back of his head, he thanked Misty for giving him a legitimate excuse to leave the house again. Delia poked her head in the door and saw Ash heading out towards the back where Charizard was snoozing.

"Ash, if you're done eating can you run a couple of errands for me?" Delia asked.

"As fun as that sounds, Mom, I'll have to say no!" Ash said as he bolted out the back door.

"Ash, come back!"

"Charizard, wake up! Let's go, let's go!"

Charizard snapped to attention and Ash climbed on his back. Charizard gave a loud cry and shot off into the sky as Delia stormed into the backyard. Ash felt a little guilty for ditching his mom, but he was sure that any other person would have done the same if they had the opportunity to see a friend, especially if it was a girl that they had not seen in a long time.

"Ash Ketchum, get back here!" Delia yelled after him.

"I'll be back later, Mom!" Ash yelled back.

Charizard soared back out towards the outskirts and received a gentle pat on the back from Ash.

"Thanks Charizard, I owe you one," Ash said. "Let's head to Cerulean City. We've still got work to do."

* * *

Misty was walking away from the staging area where she had just finished battling another trainer who had barely managed to take out her Starmie towards the end of their battle. She had been feeling bored with battling lately as it never excited her as much as it used to and there was nobody who could give her that spark. She gave a sigh as she glanced inside the aquarium that was built into the wall to see Gyarados swimming around with her and her sister's pokémon. Misty decided she needed some fresh air and began walked to the changing rooms.

She entered the room moments later and could hear Daisy in the shower singing to herself. Misty shook her head with a small smile and made her way to her locker. She opened her locker and found a small bag of clothes at the base of it. As she changed her clothes she looked at herself in the mirror that hung on the inside of her locker door. Ever since she stopped her travels with Ash and Brock she had grown up quite a bit. She was not as scrawny as she used to be after doing a bunch of swimming in the pool which increased her muscle definition. Her hair had grown a lot longer after she decided to take a leaf from Daisy's book by letting it grow down to her upper back. Her figure overall had grown a more curvy and she knew that she was turning the heads of many boys when she was out in public.

After changing her clothes, she could hear the shower stop and Daisy acknowledged her.

"Hey Misty, how did the battle go?" Daisy asked.

"Not bad, but the kid barely took out Starmie," Misty said back.

"Wow, like, bummer."

"Daisy, I'm not having a lot of fun battling anymore. It's just become dull and I can't find that spark to make it interesting."

"I'm sure you will find something, Misty. Because if I remember correctly, the last time I ever saw you hyped up for a battle was when you battled your boyfriend way back in the day."

Misty's head perked up in confusion at Daisy's words and she looked at her asking for clarification. Daisy blinked and gave a giggle at her younger sister's failure at perception.

"You know that guy with the Pikachu? Ash!" Daisy said with a grin threatening to split her face in two.

Misty's eyes widened and her face turned beet red at Daisy's statement. She raised her hands shook her head in denial. Ash was just a good friend and nothing more.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Misty shouted back still sporting a red face.

"Your face says otherwise, little sis." Daisy smirked back.

"Shut-up!"

"Don't deny it, Misty."

"I'm not denying anything! I… argh! I'm going for a walk! Watch the gym!"

Misty stomped out the room with her face now as red as her hair while Daisy was laughing her head off. She was muttering curses under her breath and began thinking of a way to get back at Daisy for her teasing. A sinister look adorned her face as she was swept up by her thoughts at any possible situation to put Daisy in to tease her. Her mind went to Tracy, but that didn't have the effect like it used to.

_"I'll get you back, Daisy and when I do…"_ Misty thought with a cackle. _"Oh, when I get you back it'll be freaking glorious!"_

Misty departed the gym and began walking to the park for her break. Some fresh air would do her some good and the park was the perfect place to get some. As she walked on the sidewalk she looked up at the vast sky and she gave a relaxed sigh as she enjoyed the beautiful day. Upon entering the park, she could see a lot of people spending their day in the park. Kids were playing on the jungle gym, some people were fishing, others were having a pokémon battle and some were just basking in the sun. Misty continued her stride down the sidewalk and noticed a lot of couples together resting on the grass or against some trees. Deep down, Misty felt jealous of those girls that had a boyfriend in their life. Her mind drifted back to Daisy's words from earlier.

_"You know that guy with the Pikachu? Ash!"_

Misty's face reddened again at the thought and she looked back up at the sky. She wondered if Ash ever received the letter that she sent to him about a week ago.

_"Where are you, Ash?"_ Misty thought as she continued her walk.

* * *

Ash had just flown into the Cerulean City limits and his excitement was growing at the thought of seeing his old friend again. He could feel Pikachu bouncing on his shoulders and he could tell that he was feeling the same way. Looking down, Ash could see the Cerulean Gym and gave Charizard a pat on the back telling him to go down. Charizard dove down to the gym and flapped his wings as he landed in front of it. Ash and Pikachu hopped off Charizard and Ash gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Thanks for the lift buddy," Ash said pulling out Charizard's Poké Ball. "Why don't you take a break?"

Charizard gave a loud roar and nodded before Ash recalled him to the ball. He clipped the ball back onto his belt and entered the gym with Pikachu on his shoulder. The gym had not changed much since he last set foot in it. He started to walk down the arena and was glancing in the tanks at the various pokémon swimming inside of them. He had to do a double take when he saw the Gyarados swimming in the depths of the large tank. A shiver went down his back as he remembered almost being eaten by a Gyarados on his first day as a trainer. Ash stopped outside large double door and opened them. He walked into the room to the massive pool, only to find it was empty.

"Where is everybody?" Ash asked.

"Pika," Pikachu shrugged as he looked around.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want a battle?" Daisy asked as she appeared through the doors behind him.

"Uh, no, I was looking for somebody actually."

Daisy finally noticed Ash and her eyes widened in brief surprise. The young man before her was the same kid that her sister battled a few years back here in the gym. He had definitely grown up a bit since she last saw him and she smirked inwardly at having new material to tease Misty with later.

"Who were you looking for, Ash?" Daisy asked in a singsong voice.

"I was looking for Misty," Ash said a little weary of Daisy's playful look. "Is she here?"

"Well she was, but your girlfriend went for some fresh air so she's probably walking around the park."

"She's not my girlfriend!"

Ash's face turned red just like it did with Pikachu earlier. He pinched the bridge of his nose and walked out of the arena. Daisy clutched her stomach at Ash's reaction and couldn't believe that he and Misty both acted like they did years ago with her teasing. Being loud and denying it. Daisy wiped a tear from her eye and whistled a happy tune as she walked back to the changing room.

* * *

Celadon City was the home of many people and it was well known for its department stores that carried a bunch of merchandise. However it was also the home of a young girl named Yue Wang. Yue was currently returning from a walk that she had been on and went to retrieve the mail. She was a very small girl of about five foot three. Her hair was a mix of dark brown and black that was tied up into two buns with the longer parts framing her face. Her skin was a milky pale and her golden eyes were slightly slanted.

She stopped outside of her house and opened the mailbox. Her eyes scanned each of the letters that were addressed to her mother. The mail ranged from bill, letters from her brothers who were currently living with her father, and magazines. Yue clicked her tongue as she came to the final letter that was addressed for her. She noticed the Pokémon League seal on the front and was curious to what the letter pertained to. The leagues just finished a little over a month ago and weren't starting up again until August.

_"What's this?"_ Yue thought as she opened the letter.

She pulled the letter out of the envelope and her eyes moved back and forth as she read the letter.

_Dear Ms. Wang,_

_I would like to extend an offer to you that is only presented to the most prestigious of pokémon trainers in the eyes of the Pokémon League. There is a tournament that takes place during the summer shortly after the Pokémon Leagues of each region come to a close. The Pokémon World Tournament takes place from late May until mid-August and it will be held at the Indigo Plateau this year. If you wish to partake in this event, please arrive at the Indigo Plateau no later than May 25th to register. I truly hope to see you there, Ms. Wang._

_Sincerely, Charles Goodshow_

Yue's eyes lit up with excitement and pride as she looked at the letter. When she showed this to her mother, she would be so proud of her.

"Mother's going to be so proud, aru!" Yue said as she ran into the house.

* * *

Ash and Pikachu entered the park after leaving the Cerulean gym. His eyes looked around the large park as he began searching for any girls with red hair. He continued his walk and looked through the couples, kids and battles that were taking place around the gardens. Pikachu sat atop of Ash's head to have a better vantage point as he searched for his old friend. He heard Ash sigh in defeat when they reached the center of the park.

"I don't think she's here buddy," Ash said taking another look around.

"Pi," Pikachu sighed and his tail drooped a little bit.

"Well, let's go back to the gym, maybe she finished her walk."

"Pika."

Ash turned around and started walking to the park exit. As he continued his trek to the gate he could see a girl with red hair walking towards him from between the crowds. He squinted and his jaw dropped at the sight of the girl. Her red hair was long and down to her upper back. Her body was pretty curvy and toned and her eyes were green like emeralds. The girl looked up at him and she stopped dead in her tracks. She looked like she had seen a ghost.

Misty decided to take one final stroll around the park before going back to the gym. She had been repeating loops around the park for the better part of an hour. As she made her way between people on the path her eyes caught sight of a Pikachu sitting on top of a boy's shoulder. This caught her interest and she went to take a closer look. She could see the Pikachu on top of the boy. The boy was wearing red tennis shoes, blue denim jeans, a yellow and black vest with a red and black official Pokémon League hat. Misty's heart skipped a beat as she saw the boy up close.

"It couldn't be him could it?" Misty asked herself.

Her thoughts were proven when the boy turned around to face her. Her eyes widened when she saw the familiar looking brown eyes, wild dark hair and marked cheeks. Finally finding her voice again, Misty spoke.

"Ash, is that you?"

"Hey Misty," Ash said with a smile.

Misty's legs carried her over to Ash and she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. The sudden act of intimacy threw Ash off guard but he returned the gesture. Misty rested her head on his chest and confirmed to herself that this was not a dream and that her old friend was here with her once again.

* * *

**Well that's the chapter everybody. I'm sorry if it wasn't an action one, but I'm trying to get other key parts outside of battles. I hope you enjoyed the little reunion with Misty and the new OC introduced who happens to be our first female support OC, Yue Wang (Bluemagesfaiytail). I'm still choosing OCs and it's not an easy process because I want to avoid characters that can be too similar as the support characters because then it won't be as interesting. I will update again when I find the time, so in the meantime I guess just keep your eyes peeled and wait for the next update. Later- CaptainPrice**

**Support OCs**

**1.) Leonard Wortham**

**2.)**

**3.)**

**4.) Yue Wang**

**5.)**

**6.)**

**High points of my hectic week**

**1.) Did a lot better on my STX lane for ROTC on Thursday. Passed with a high S, which is a lot better than the N I got the first time around.**

**2.) Went to a party last night and got a girl's number. It was even sweeter that she put it in my phone.**

**Story Shoutouts:**

**"Unova Eclipse: Bringer of Change" by bluemagesfairytail**

**Fey didn't want this to happen. Not again. Now they're seventeen, and brought together again. But this time, instead of Galactic, Plasma lurks, and a traitor surfaces. New faces, new chances, new possibilities. But it's hard to believe one of them has the intent to sabotage them all.**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**

******"Time of Courage" by FiammaJoule: **

******When there's nowhere left to run, where do you go? When the government is after you and everyone appears to be your enemy, who do you turn to? Not your friends and not your family. After all is said and done, you only have each other and your Pokemon. It's time to step up and steel your courage if you want to survive.**

******"Thieves of Ordia" by FallingSunset**

******Steampunk AU. Ordia: a region full of marvelous inventions and booming with all sorts of Pokemon. Erin begins her journey in the industrious city of Ironstead. Soon she finds out that all is not right in Ordia as thieves have been showing up everywhere, stealing Legendary Pokemon and causing chaos to the world. Can Erin and defeat the league and the thieves?**


	7. Growth

**Hey all, I'm back with another update for Becoming the Master and I hope you're action hungry since this chapter is filled with it. I would like to thank you all for the continued support with my story now having 93 reviews, 1 C2, 53 favorites and 56 alerts. You are all awesome and I can't thank you enough. So as a token of my appreciation, here's the chapter. Stay tuned for the end on OC info, my rant(s) of the day, story shoutouts and more.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own pokemon. I DO own my OCs, the story and the idea of the story here.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash and Misty go to a cafe to catch up on what each of them have been doing. However, it is hard to finish a conversation with a friend when someone challenges you to a battle.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks_

* * *

Ash and Misty were still in their embrace and neither one of them showed signs of ending it. As they held each other, they started gathering the attention of some bystanders who observed the joyous reunion. Ash reluctantly pulled away first and smiled at Misty who was now looking up at him with happiness.

"I was wondering when you would come to see me again, Ash," Misty said.

"I promised you that I would come back to see you, didn't I?" Ash asked with another grin.

"Yeah, you did. I'm really glad to see you."

"Same here."

Misty took another look at Ash and was surprised with how much he had grown, not only as a trainer, but also as a young man. No longer was he a short, loud mouthed brat like he was when she traveled with him. He was now standing a head above her, his voice was now deeper, his shoulders were now broader and he had a little muscle. Misty felt her face heat up a little bit as she found her gaze was lingering for a long time.

"You've gotten taller than me," Misty pointed out as she took a step back.

"Huh?" Ash asked doing a quick measurement. "Yeah, you're right. I guess I did get taller."

Misty gave a light giggle at Ash's antics and clasped her hands together. She wondered if Ash noticed that she had changed at all and was inwardly hoping he would say something complimenting her growth. Pikachu gave a happy cheer and jumped into Misty's arms giving her a hug to which she returned with a laugh.

"Pikachu, you really are a pika-pal," Misty said stroking his head earning a purr from Pikachu.

"He was really psyched when I told him we were going to visit you today," Ash commented as he rested his hands behind his head.

"Really?"

"Really, Misty. I wasn't the only one that missed you."

Misty's face reddened a little bit at Ash's confession but it quickly returned to its normal color. Pikachu nuzzled Misty's face and she rubbed his back to return the affection that he was giving her. Ash smiled to himself as he looked at the scene before him of his two best friends. He walked up to Misty and Pikachu and Pikachu jumped back onto his shoulder after leaving Misty's arms.

"So what are you up to now?" Ash asked.

"I was going to head back to the gym," Misty sighed. "I have to stay there until six since that's when it closes and trainers still like to come in and battle."

"Oh, okay. I was going to say we should grab something to drink and catch up."

"Right now?"

"Why not? I haven't seen you in over a year and I think this might be the only time I can do it since I'll be busy for the next few days."

Misty was a little surprised at Ash's proposal and her face turned red again. She was not sure how much better Ash had gotten at reading girls, but now she was being asked out in a way. Not finding any words to say, Misty only nodded to answer and a smile appeared on her face.

"I think Daisy can run it while I'm gone a little longer," Misty said with a nod. "Let's go to the café across the road there and we can talk."

"Alright, let's go!" Ash cheered grabbing her hand and pulling her along.

* * *

Ash and Misty arrived at the café that was packed with people, mainly other couples. Taking a look around, Ash found an open booth and escorted Misty over and offered her a seat. Misty happily took a seat and Ash and Pikachu sat down on the opposite side of the table. Ash took off his hat and rested it on the table to allow his hair some fresh air.

"So what would you like to drink, Misty? It'll be my treat," Ash said looking at the menu.

"Some coffee would be fine, nothing too special," Misty replied leaning forward.

"Alright, coffee it is then. I think I'll have some too."

Ash got up and walked over to the counter to place the order while Misty and Pikachu sat at the table. So far, Misty had been impressed with Ash's courtesy since he was ill mannered when he was younger. Did something happen to him in Hoenn and Sinnoh to change him since she last traveled with him? She shrugged and scratched Pikachu behind his ears and smiled as he purred again at the soothing feeling. Her mind drifted to Ash's traveling companion that she met back in Hoenn, May, and her smile quickly vanished. Although Ash was oblivious, Misty was not. She had seen the glances May would give him when she accompanied them briefly and she did not like it.

_"Maybe that's what changed him?"_ Misty thought. _"Did other girls have an impact on his behavior?"_

"Pika?" Pikachu asked noticing Misty's thoughtful look.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Pikachu. I was just thinking about something."

"Pika pi?"

Pikachu nodded at Ash and Misty gave a small nod. Pikachu gave her a smile and patted her arm gently to which Misty relaxed. If Pikachu was reassuring her then she had nothing to worry about. She held Pikachu's opinion in high regard and would trust his words.

"Thanks, Pikachu," Misty said scratching his head.

"Cha," Pikachu said as his foot tapped the table from the feeling.

Misty giggled at Pikachu and returned her attention back to Ash as he sat back down handing her the coffee. She thanked Ash and took a sip of the boiling beverage and a relaxed sigh left her lips. She leaned forward and smirked at Ash as she waited for him to finish his sip.

"So, Mr. Ketchum, let's hear all about the adventures you had since I last saw you," Misty said folding her hands under her chin.

"Where should I start?" Ash asked.

"We've got all day, Ash. So fill me in."

Ash smirked back and sat back in his seat as he started telling Misty everything. He told her about all of the events that took place in Hoenn while on his travels with Brock, May and Max. Misty had laughed at hearing the story about May's bike as it mirrored hers when Pikachu destroyed it. Her mood dropped a little when Ash talked about May and what she was like but it perked back up when he told her that she viewed him like a mentor as he journeyed with her. Ash told her about his experience with the Kanto Battle Frontier and she was very impressed with what she heard.

"So wait," Misty began holding up a hand. "You were given the opportunity to become a Frontier Brain? Ash, that's fantastic! You could have been the youngest trainer to become one!"

"I was offered the position but I turned it down," Ash said with a nod. "I want to be a Pokémon Master more than anything in the world and being a Frontier Brain would prevent me from achieving my goal. Don't get me wrong, I would have taken the job, but I don't think I'd be able to sit still for that long without getting bored."

"Well I guess that's one thing that hasn't changed about you. You've always been one to go and chase after what you want."

"Yeah."

The two of them shared a laugh and each took a sip of their coffee. Ash finished his sip and continued his story and told her about what he did after he finished in the top eight at the Ever Grande Conference. He told her about arriving in Sinnoh and then being separated from Pikachu briefly after a run in with Team Rocket and then finding him again with a girl named Dawn who became another good friend and companion of his. Misty was starting to feel jealous of the girls who ended up spending time with Ash but pushed the feeling away. She became interested when he brought up his rival, Paul.

Misty was surprised at how strong Paul was when Ash told her about him. He explained that he was never able to beat Paul in a battle until their final one in the Lily of the Valley Conference. She was not fond of Paul at first after hearing what he did as a trainer and his values and what he did to his Chimchar. She found Paul to be cruel by Ash's description of him but she was surprised yet again that Ash put that behind him and ended up gaining Paul's respect after defeating him in their final battle. If Ash was able to put Paul's cruel attitude aside, then she probably could as well.

The story continued on with Ash explaining each of his gym battles and the pokémon he succeeded in catching during his journey. Each thing that Ash told Misty, the more her respect for the young man before her grew. Misty was again shocked when she found that Ash had a pretty good friendship with the Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia, and she too found Cynthia to be fascinating when Ash told her about her. He also told her about Cynthia's strong pokémon and being able to sweep a trainer's entire team with just her Garchomp. Needless to say Misty was impressed was an understatement. She was floored at hearing that. The thought of a Champion taking out an entire team with just a single pokémon was almost unbelievable.

Ash then told her about the other criminal organization that he encountered while he was traveling through Sinnoh being Team Galactic. The fact that this organization was more competent than Team Rocket worried Misty but it obviously worked out in the end if Ash was sitting there and talking to her. Finally, Ash told her about the Lily of the Valley Conference and how he battled each of his opponents from Nando, to Conway, to Paul and then finally, Tobias. Misty saw Ash's mood turn sullen at the mention of Tobias.

"Ash, are you okay?" Misty asked putting a hand on his.

"I'm fine, Misty," Ash replied with a heavy sigh. "I'm just a little sore about my match against Tobias. I'm not one to mope about things like that, but this time it just angers me to no end."

"Maybe you feel cheated?"

"How so?"

"Ash, you went up against a man that had two legendary pokémon at his disposal. To me that seems overkill."

"There's nothing in the Pokémon League rules setting limits on legendary pokémon though. So the fight was fair."

"Legendary pokémon are far superior to normal pokémon which is what your team is made of. They even trump against pseudo-legendary pokémon, too. That fight was very one-sided and I know that if Tobias didn't have those pokémon on his team then you would have won. You probably would have won the league if that didn't happen."

"Thanks, Misty. That means a lot coming from you."

Misty blushed a little bit at the comment and took her hand off of Ash's. Ash took another drink from his coffee and the two of them fell silent. Tapping his fingers against his glass, Ash contemplated on what else he could talk to Misty about. The two topics that entered his mind were the Pokémon World Tournament and then his dreams involving Red. He decided to drop the latter since he was sure Misty would believe he was crazy and he didn't want to give that impression when things were going smoothly.

"So what about you, Misty? What have you been up to?" Ash asked.

"Not much to be totally honest," Misty said with a shake of the head. "I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, actually."

"Ah, come on! I'm sure you did some things outside of running the gym?"

"No, I haven't. That's what I've been doing aside from the shows me and my sisters put on at the gym."

"Do you still wear that cute mermaid outfit during the shows?"

Misty's face reddened for what seemed to be the thousandth time that day. She buried her face in her hands. She could not believe Ash remembered that outfit she wore for the show she and her sisters put on years back.

_"He seriously remembers that?"_ Misty thought. _"Well, at least he said it was cute."_

"You okay?" Ash asked after he didn't receive a response from Misty.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Geez, I can't believe you remember that costume," Misty replied rubbing the back of her head.

"It's kind of hard to forget. You looked cute in it back then and I'm sure you look amazing in it now."

"What do you mean?"

"Just that. Misty you've become a pretty girl and I'm sure that you are turning every boy's head when you are around."

Misty almost spat out her coffee in surprise at Ash's words and had to do a double take. Was this the same Ash Ketchum who couldn't pick up on her comments and advances back then? She was filled with pride and very flattered when Ash said that. She blushed again and looked away, as if shy.

_"So he did notice that I changed,"_ Misty thought. _"Good. I was getting a little worried that he may not say anything."_

"Thanks Ash, that comment meant a lot," Misty said turning back to him. "I usually hear those comments towards my sisters."

"Well, then it's their loss."

They fell silent once again. The two of them had been talking for almost three hours and now neither of them could figure out what to say next. Ash finally thought of something and spoke up again.

"So how are those gym battles going for you? Are you still having fun facing trainers that come for badges?"

Misty had completely spaced out on that and was hesitant to answer Ash's question. Would he think differently of her if she said that she did not obtain the rush that she used to? Misty took another sip of coffee and leaned back in her chair as she pondered how to answer the question. Since Ash asked and he told her everything, she felt the need to reciprocate and answer truthfully. She gave a sigh and looked back at Ash once again.

"Honestly, Ash, I've found battling to be tedious lately," Misty said getting a surprised look from Ash.

Ash opened his mouth to speak but closed it and crossed his arms. His look asked for her to explain further on her answer and she did.

"It's not that I don't like battling, but I just can't find the spark to make me enjoy them like I used to. There's nothing new to expect from trainers since all of them are mainly beginners and those that come by that are experienced just don't hold the level of excitement that they used to."

"Hmm," Ash said as he looked at the table. "Maybe you just need to take a break from working the gym? Let Daisy or Lily or Violet run it for a bit. I'm willing to bet you just need a vacation or something."

"Maybe you're right. I've been there forever and haven't had a break in some time."

Ash nodded in agreement and finished the last of his coffee and set his cup to the side. He watched Misty finish the rest of hers and she set her cup down as well. Neither of them said anything at first, but that ended when Pikachu gave a yawn and a loud stretch. Both of them looked at Pikachu and smiled at the electric pokémon as he began to nod off.

"Looks like the little guy is worn out," Misty said rubbing his head.

"Yeah, he should be," Ash replied. "He and I have been up since five this morning."

"What were you doing up at five in the morning? I'd imagine you'd still be drooling on your pillow?"

Ash let out a hearty laugh at Misty's comment to which she let out a giggle as well.

"I'll tell you in a bit," Ash said standing up and holding out his hand. "Let me walk you back to the gym and I'll explain on the way."

"I'll hold you to that, Ash," Misty said as she took his hand and he pulled her up.

The two of them walked to the door and Ash opened it wide for Misty to step out first. She gave him a smile in thanks and he followed after her. Unknown to the two of them, they were being watched by a pair of eyes.

"I finally found you," the feminine voice said.

* * *

Ash and Misty decided to cut through the park to head to the gym since it would be quicker. As they walked, Ash told Misty about the letter he received in the mail regarding the Pokémon World League and his decision to participate in it. Misty was once again surprised at Ash when he told her that he had second thoughts about entering after getting defeated badly by Tobias in the Lily of the Valley Conference. She was about to give him a piece of her mind for his lack of confidence but decided not to when Ash explained that his mother gave him the pep talk about facing trainers both weak and strong. He was also reassured by his pokémon who were the main reason to why he was taking part in the tournament. Not only because it was his dream to be a Pokémon Master but it was also a goal he shared with his pokémon and being the best.

"I'd have to agree with Gary though," Misty said sending him a sharp glare. "If you decided not to participate in the tournament, I would've punched you too."

"Thank you, that means a lot," Ash said rolling his eyes.

"I'm kidding, Ash. In all seriousness though, I'm glad you chose to do this. You're mom's right too. You can't let that one loss get to you."

"I know, I know. And I won't let it get to me because that was a minor setback. I'm going to win that tournament!"

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu said clenching his paw in determination

"Good to know. So when does that tournament start?"

"It starts on May 25th which is next Thursday."

"Wow, just a couple of days after your birthday, huh?"

Ash stopped dead. Misty was right. He didn't know how he forgot about his own birthday but he told himself it was because he was preoccupied with preparing for the tournament next week. He rubbed the back of his head in disbelief which made Misty raise an eyebrow.

"Something wrong, Ash?" Misty asked.

"No," Ash said shaking his head. "I just can't believe I spaced out on my own birthday being next week."

"Wow. You must have been busy if you completely forgot about it."

"No kidding."

Ash sighed and smiled at Misty and received one in return. They continued walking but stopped when a voice called out to them.

"Hey, you with the Pikachu, wait for a second!"

Ash and Misty turned around to see who the voice belonged to and saw a girl standing a few feet behind them. The girl stood around five foot four and had a petite figure. She had a normal complexion with curly brown hair that reached her shoulders and brown eyes. The girl was wearing a red tank top under a yellow button up polo, a blue jacket, blue jeans, a cap and sneakers. The girl was looking intently at Ash which made him feel a little uncomfortable.

"Who are you?" Ash asked the girl.

"My name is Lily Evans," Lily said walking up to them. "And I would like to challenge you to a battle, Ash Ketchum."

Ash was taken aback albeit now psyched up for a battle. He was about to accept the challenge but he stopped just as he opened his mouth. He glanced back at Misty and saw her glaring at Lily, although he wasn't too sure why she was. Shrugging it off, he turned his focus back to Lily.

"Well, I'd like to battle but I'm with a friend of mine right now," Ash said. "Can this wait until later?"

"It could, but I've got to leave the city to head back home shortly. I saw what you did in the Sinnoh League and I wanted to battle you myself firsthand," Lily replied.

"I'm sorry, but I am a little busy right now."

"Yeah, he's walking me back," Misty said standing close to Ash. "You'll have to wait until later."

"Listen toots, I wasn't talking to you," Lily said shooting a glance at Misty. "Why don't you let him decide?"

"Toots?"

Misty's eye began to twitch in annoyance at Lily. So far her day had gone from dull to happy when seeing Ash, now all of that feeling was leaving and being replaced with irritation. Right now she wanted nothing more than to battle the girl before her and knock her down a peg or two. Then her mind clicked and a sinister smirk spread across her face as she looked at Lily. Misty turned to Ash who looked back at her, a little unnerved when he saw the look in her eye.

_"I can see the wheels turning in your head, Misty. What are you thinking?"_ Ash thought.

"Alright Lily, if you're bold enough, you can battle Ash," Misty said smiling broadly.

"What?" Ash and Lily asked in surprise.

"Come on, Ash, think about it. It'll be good practice for the tournament and I'll be able to see what you can do personally. Show me what you can do!"

Ash blinked in surprise before smirking back and nodded. He turned to Lily and crossed his arms as he felt the adrenaline kick into his system. It was time for his second battle of the day and he was eager to see how much of Red's training may help him out. He glanced at Pikachu out of the corner of his eye and saw the cocky look in his eye.

"I accept your challenge, Lily," Ash said with a grin. "Where will we battle?"

"Let's go to the field over here," Lily said as she walked off the sidewalk and into the grassy stretch.

"Alright, let's do this."

* * *

Ash and Misty walked onto the field and stood opposite of Lily's position. Pikachu jumped off of Ash's shoulder and started rolling his shoulders as a warm up before the battle. He gave Ash a nod and an assuring grin before looking back at Lily. Ash rolled his neck and shrugged his shoulders to loosen up and gain focus for the fight.

"We'll use three pokémon and the battle will end once all the selected pokémon of a team are defeated," Lily said pulling out three Poké Balls. "To make this interesting, no switches will be allowed unless the pokémon has a move permitting it to swap spots."

"Fine with me," Ash replied pulling out two Poké Balls.

"I'll referee the match," Misty said walking to the sideline at the center of the field.

Ash had chosen his three pokémon and was now waiting to see who Lily would choose first. Once Misty was in position, she gave the go for the battle to start. Ash looked down at Pikachu and gave him a grin and got a confident look in return.

"You're up, Pikachu!" Ash said.

"Pika!" Pikachu said as he jumped into the field.

"Pichu, come on out!" Lily shouted.

Lily threw a Poké Ball to the center and it opened with a snap. A light shot out of the ball and a Pichu materialized on the ground in front of Pikachu looking determined to fight. Pikachu crouched down and prepared to make a move at Ash's command.

"Ash gets the first move," Misty said raising her arm before dropping it fast. "Let the battle begin."

"Alright Pikachu, let's start with Quick Attack!" Ash yelled pointing at Pichu.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried as he dashed at Pichu with blinding speed.

"Pichu, counter back with Tackle!" Lily barked back.

Pichu gave a grunt of acknowledgement and ran at Pikachu to intercept him. As the two of them drew close, Pikachu pushed off the ground with tremendous force and dove headfirst at Pichu. Pichu jumped up at Pikachu with his head down to stop him. Both of them collided midair but Pichu's power was not enough to hold back Pikachu. Pichu gave a cry of pain as he was sent bouncing across the ground after being overpowered by Pikachu and came to a stop at Lily's feet.

"Pichu, don't give up! We're just getting started!" Lily said clenching her fist.

"Pi," Pichu grunted as he stood up.

"Alright, use Iron Tail!" Lily ordered.

Pichu dashed at Pikachu once again and his tail started to glow as power began to build inside of it. The small black tail was coated in the hard metal just as Pichu jumped into the air to bring it down on Pikachu. Ash watched as Pichu was starting his descent and made his call.

"Pikachu, dodge and use Iron Tail too!"

Pichu was just about to hit Pikachu on the head with his tail but Pikachu sidestepped the attack at the last second. Pichu's tail hit the ground and kicked up some dirt making a crater. Pikachu mimicked Pichu's move and began to twirl in the air as his tail was coated in the metal alloy. Pichu turned around and attempted to dodge the iron covered tail but was too slow. Pikachu's tail crashed into Pichu's cheek, lifting him off of the ground and sending him in the air. Pichu did a flip as he was in the air and managed to stick his landing and resumed his guard to fight back should Pikachu have a follow-up attack. Lily growled and her fists shook as she analyzed the situation before her. Pikachu was too much for Pichu to handle and she couldn't switch him out.

"Pichu, use Electro Ball!" Lily barked.

Pichu got down on all fours and electricity began to cover his tail. The electricity began to take the shape of a sphere and it began to grow as it gathered strength. Ash and Pikachu narrowed their eyes at the new attack and prepared to make their next move. As Ash was about to give Pikachu his next order, his mind hatched an idea. He remembered his final battle with Paul and remembered how Electivire absorbed electricity with his motor drive ability. He glanced at Pikachu and decided to try something.

_"Pikachu's an electric type so he'll barely take any damage from that attack,"_ Ash thought. _"But if anything, he should be able to feed off of that energy and boost power for his next attack."_

"Do it, Pichu!" Lily yelled.

Pichu did a somersault and launched the ball of electricity at Pikachu and watched as it got closer and closer to its target. Pikachu was waiting for Ash to make a call but was concerned when he received none. He glanced back at Ash and saw him smirk. It was right there that Pikachu knew Ash had a trick up his sleeve.

"Pikachu, take the attack!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu looked a little surprised but trusted Ash's judgment and turned to face the attack. The ball hit Pikachu and his face scrunched up as the tingling sensation and the power coursed through his body. Pikachu opened his eyes and smirked as the electricity was absorbed in his body and he could feel his strength building.

"But how?" Lily asked. "Pikachu's ability isn't motor drive!"

"Even though that's not Pikachu's ability, it's still possible to charge an electric pokémon up with power when using an electric attack on them," Ash replied pointing at Pichu. "Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"

"Pika!" Pikachu said back as he got on all fours.

Pikachu started to charge at Pichu and was covered in a cloak of electricity as he got closer and closer. Pichu was petrified with fear as the incoming attack spelled defeat for him. He closed his eyes just as Pikachu jumped at him and had the wind leave his body as Pikachu's head smashed into his stomach. A loud boom echoed around the area as Pichu was sent out of the smoke cloud that was created from the attack. He landed in a heap in front of Lily unable to move.

"Pichu is unable to battle. The round goes to Ash and Pikachu!" Misty said raising her hand to Ash's side.

"Way to go, Pikachu! Keep up the good work!" Ash praised.

"Pika!" Pikachu said giving a thumbs up.

Lily nodded to herself and recalled Pichu to his ball. She smiled down at the ball and kissed it before tucking it away and fishing out a new one. Once she had her next pokémon ready to go, she looked at Ash. He was proving to be an exceptional battle, but she started off the fight to test him and see what he would do with his tactics. Now that she had a feel for what he would do, she could take the gloves off and truly start the battle.

"Alright Ash, I think it's time to take it up a notch," Lily said as she tossed her next Poké Ball up and down.

"You read my mind, Lily! Bring it on!" Ash replied with a smirk.

"Blaziken, come on out!"

Lily threw her ball out and it opened with a loud crack. A figure materialized on the field and when the white glow faded, a Blaziken was in its place. Ash adapted a serious look as he saw the new obstacle Pikachu had to face. Nodding to himself, Ash looked at Pikachu and delivered the warning.

"Watch yourself, Pikachu. This just got serious," Ash said glaring at Blaziken.

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded as he stared up at the significantly taller pokémon.

"Blaziken, let's show Ash just how powerful you really are!" Lily shouted. "Use Quick Attack!"

The words barely left Lily's lips when Blaziken vanished and appeared right in front of Pikachu. The sudden movement caught both Ash and Pikachu by surprise with his speed. Blaziken brought his knee up and drove it into Pikachu's chest, sending him airborne. Pikachu gave a cry of pain as he went soaring into the air. Blaziken looked up and locked on to Pikachu as he continued his ascension into the air.

"Blaziken, hit Pikachu with Flamethrower!" Lily ordered.

"Pikachu, use Iron tail and stop the attack!" Ash hollered.

Blaziken opened his mouth and a searing stream of fire shot up at Pikachu. It was going very fast and Pikachu had to move fast in order to protect himself from the blistering heat. Moving quickly, Pikachu regained composure and coated his tail in iron once again and prepared to deflect the attack. As the attack was upon Pikachu, he did a somersault and brought his tail down on top of the flames, splitting the attack in half and away from him.

"Nice job, Pikachu!" Ash yelled. "Now hit Blaziken with Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu released a burst of electricity and a chain of it shot at Blaziken. The attack hit Blaziken in the chest making him sink to his knees and give a cry of pain from the power that struck him. Pikachu landed safely on the ground and watched as Blaziken shook off the attack once it finish and stood back up. Lily nodded at Blaziken's endurance and got ready to deliver her next command.

"Blaziken, use Flame Charge!" Lily yelled.

"Pikachu, use your counter shield!" Ash countered back.

Pikachu watched as Blaziken started stomping the ground repeatedly, causing a cloud of dust to conceal him. With limited visibility, Pikachu had to time his defensive move just right to avoid getting hit. Blaziken's feet stopped stomping and he finally darted out of the dust cloud and was shielded in a fiery blaze that left a streak as he moved. Pikachu charged up a Thunderbolt and started spinning on his back to create a shield of electricity to prevent Blaziken from getting to him. Blaziken kept his charge going and to the surprise of Ash and Pikachu, broke through the counter shield and crashed into Pikachu with tremendous force. Another boom filled the area as an explosion covered both Pikachu and Blaziken.

"Pikachu!" Ash called out.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried as he was sent flying out of the cloud.

He hit the ground hard and struggled to move after landing. Pikachu got to his feet gingerly and flinched in pain as his arm gave a sharp throb. The attack hit him directly on his side and completely numbed it.

"Good, now use Fire Spin!" Lily commanded.

Blaziken unleashed a spinning stream of fire at Pikachu who was still recovering. Pikachu bared his teeth in discomfort and anger as he glared at Blaziken.

"Pikachu, dodge and use Double Edge!" Ash barked.

Pikachu dodge Blaziken's attack and jumped at him with impressive speed. He slammed his body into Blaziken's shoulder and managed to send him staggering back. Blaziken shook his head from the dazing hit and glared back down at Pikachu to make his next move.

"Blaziken, use Ember!" Lily ordered.

"Pikachu, block it with your counter shield!" Ash shouted.

Blaziken opened his mouth again and a small barrage of flames at Pikachu. Pikachu finished gathering energy for Thunderbolt and dropped to his back and started to spin again. The chains of electricity that Pikachu created to surround himself hit each of the flames and made them disperse upon contact. Ash smirked at the foiling Blaziken's attack and got ready to make his next move.

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" Ash yelled.

"Blaziken, use Flame Charge!" Lily shot back.

Blaziken jumped back to make room to start his attack. He stomped his feet once again and created another wall of dust that blocked him from sight. Pikachu got down on all fours and started to dash at the thick cloud of smoke, covering himself in electricity to tackle Blaziken once he came into view. When Pikachu was halfway across the field, Blaziken came sprinting out of the smoke at him. Pikachu jumped up and dove headfirst at Blaziken's head. The two of them collided with their powerful attacks and began to try and overpower each other. As the battle of strength began to take place, Ash noticed a problem. Neither pokémon would be able to overpower the other and the energy would create a devastating blast, injuring both of them.

_"This isn't good. The second that energy breaks free, it'll take Pikachu down,"_ Ash thought.

"Don't let up, Blaziken! Give it all you got!" Lily cheered.

"Pikachu, keep it up! Don't let Blaziken beat you!" Ash shouted.

A thunderous boom filled the area and created a massive blast of air and sent it all over. The trees rustled violently while Ash, Lily and Misty had to shield their eyes to protect them from debris. When the smoke cleared, both Pikachu and Blaziken were lying on the ground in obvious pain from the output of energy from the attack. Pikachu growled and bared his teeth through the pain as he pushed himself to his feet. He panted as he glared at Blaziken who stood up gingerly as well to test his bruised body. Ash saw his opportunity to strike when Blaziken winced and fell to his knee. Not wasting any time, Ash made his next call.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack, now!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu fought through the pain and bolted for Blaziken who was still recovering from the damage the blast caused. Blaziken could see Pikachu nearing him and attempted to stand again but found it impossible to do. Pikachu jumped up and crashed into Blaziken's head and bounced off. Pikachu flipped and landed on his feet as he watched Blaziken sway a little bit before falling down and hitting the ground with a loud thump. Pikachu panted as he kept his eyes on Blaziken, waiting for him to stand up yet again. When Blaziken didn't move, Misty made the call.

"Blaziken is unable to battle! Pikachu wins the round!"

"Yes! Good work, Pikachu!" Ash praised.

"Pika," Pikachu said back with a pant.

Lily recalled Blaziken to his ball and thanked him for his performance in the battle before tucking it away. She pulled out her final Poké Ball and threw it into the field. The ball opened and loud cry followed afterword. The white glow vanished and revealed a Swellow ready to fight. Ash knew he had the type advantage, but Pikachu had taken a lot of damage and he couldn't switch him out. He decided to take a more defensive approach for the time being and hit Swellow with ranged attacks if possible. He also kept in mind that Swellow had air supremacy and was faster than Pikachu.

"Alright Pikachu, we're on the home stretch here, so let's wrap this up!" Ash said giving motivation.

"Pi!" Pikachu said back with a smirk.

"Swellow, let's show Ash that we're not to be underestimated!" Lily said clenching her fist. "Use Aerial Ace!"

Swellow became covered in a white aura and shot at Pikachu like a bullet. Pikachu prepared to dodge the speedy attack but winced in pain as he felt the arm throb again. The sudden pain distracted Pikachu and proved to be fatal as his guard was now dropped. Swellow's body smashed into Pikachu's and sent him spiraling back towards Ash as Swellow ascended into the air again. Pikachu hit the ground hard and his body trembled as he tried to stand up once again. He gingerly got to his feet but fell face first to the ground.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! Swellow is the winner!" Misty declared as she raised an arm toward Lily.

Ash hurried out to the field and scooped up his partner from the ground. Pikachu's eyes opened a little bit and he looked discouraged at failing to dodge the attack and losing the battle. While Pikachu was feeling dejected, Ash was very proud of how his partner performed. He rubbed Pikachu's head and gave him a warm smile.

"Hey, you put up a heck of a fight Pikachu and that's all that matters," Ash said with his voice gaining a serious edge. "You took out two pokémon consecutively and that's not easy, so don't feel bad. I'm proud of you."

"Pi," Pikachu nodded as Ash carried him off the field.

Ash gently set Pikachu down to let him recover and began to think about who he should use next in his roster. He thought about using Charizard but he was already insanely strong and it would be very one-sided going up against Swellow. Going through each name, he finally found the one he wanted and nodded to himself. He pulled out the Poké Ball and tossed it into the field where it opened with a loud crack. A small pudgy pokémon began to take shape on the field and when the glow vanished, it revealed Gible. Lily looked a little confused at this since Gible was a dual-type Dragon and Ground.

_"What's he planning to do? I know Gible can use ranged attacks, but there's no way they can match up to Swellow's speed,"_ Lily thought as she tried to determine what Ash was doing.

"Come on, Ash! You can beat her!" Misty cheered from the side.

_"That's what me and Gible plan to do, Misty. Just watch,"_ Ash thought as he looked at Gible.

Ash knew what he wanted to do, but he would have to attack in between to keep Lily from suspecting anything. Now that he was ready with his plan, Ash made his move.

"Gible, use Dragon Pulse!"

"Swellow, deflect it with Wing Attack!" Lily countered.

Gible's mouth opened wide and a turquoise ball of energy began to take shape inside of it while Swellow's wings began to glow white with power. Gible finished storing power and jumped up into the air and launched the ball at Swellow. Swellow brought her wings back and gave a quick flap just as the ball was within range. The Dragon Pulse dispersed much to Ash's surprise as he now had to take timing into account if he wanted to hit Swellow with the attack.

"Swellow, use Brave Bird!" Lily yelled.

"Gible, dodge it with Dig!" Ash ordered.

Swellow gave a shrill cry and was covered in a ferocious blue aura before diving with impressive speed at Gible. Gible waited for Swellow to get close before jumping up and burrowing into the ground. The last second dodge made Swellow come to a grinding halt but it forced her to crash into the ground, leaving a decent size crater where Gible was earlier. Swellow got up and flinched from the recoil damage before taking to the air again. Once Swellow was in the air, Ash made his next call.

"Gible, come on out and use Rock Smash!"

Gible burst from the ground kicking up dirt and rocks in the process. He wound his tiny arm back as it started to glow with power and gave a hard punch. The attack hit Swellow in the back and sent her spiraling down to the ground. Lily gave a growl at the successful hit and started to think of her next attack. As Gible began his fall back to the earth, he had no way to defend himself.

"Swellow, use Quick Attack!" Lily barked.

"Counter it with Rock Smash, Gible!" Ash countered back.

Swellow shot at Gible with blinding speed and Gible turned to face Swellow who was almost upon him. He wound his arm back and gave another punch as Swellow was within striking distance. Both attacks met their mark and sent both pokémon away upon contact. Swellow was pushed back while Gible was sent plummeting to the ground. Gible hit the ground hard and made a large crater on impact. He shook his head and glared up at Swellow who was keeping a keen eye on him.

"Now, Swellow, use Sky Attack!" Lily cried.

"Gible, use Dragon Pulse!" Ash hollered.

Swellow tucked her wings in and dove down at Gible with speed even greater than before and was covered with white streaks. Gible opened his mouth and fired another turquoise ball of energy at Swellow. Swellow hit the ball and it exploded, filling the air with smoke and concealing Swellow. For a moment, it looked as though Gible's attack successively stopped Swellow from hitting him but that changed as Swellow burst from the smoke with a loud cry. Sky Attack was still going strong as Swellow crashed into Gible and sent him back to Ash. Gible bounced on the ground and showed no signs of getting up. Ash refused to let Gible be defeated that quickly and tried to encourage his downed friend to press on.

"Come on, Gible! Get up! I know you're stronger than this!" Ash pleaded.

"Gible," Gible murmured as he tried to push himself up but failed.

"Get up, Gible! Come on! Get up! I need you to get up!"

"Pika pi!" Pikachu joined in.

Gible saw Lily and Swellow as he glanced up at them and saw triumphant looks on their faces. He could hear Ash and Pikachu's encouraging cries and began to feel unknown strength entering his body. Gible growled and pushed himself to his feet giving a loud roar, making Ash and Pikachu cheer for his newfound energy. Ash's cheer turned to surprise when Gible started to glow white causing everyone to gasp in surprise. Gible's form began to shift as he grew in height. New appendages began to sprout from his body as he now had two longer arms, two longer legs, a tail had formed followed by a couple of fins on his back and arms and to top it off, his head extended out thanks to a neck forming. When the white glow faded away, where Gible was standing was a different pokémon. Ash pulled out his Pokédex to figure out what he was looking at.

_**"Gabite, the cave pokémon. It loves sparkly things. It seeks treasure in caves and hoards loot in its nest."**_ Dexter informed.

"Alright, let's see what you can do, Gabite! You learned a new move too, so let's give it a shot!" Ash said barely able to contain his excitement.

"Gab," Gabite nodded with a feral grin.

"Swellow, use Aerial Ace!" Lily shouted pointing at Gabite.

"Gabite, use Dig!" Ash yelled.

Swellow shot at Gabite but Gabite had already tunneled his way under the ground with new found speed and agility. The sudden speed increase surprised both Swellow and Lily and they were looking around the ground frantically looking for any signs of movement. While Lily was focused on searching for Gabite, Ash had his next two moves planned out and ready to go.

"Gabite, use Draco-Meteor!" Ash ordered.

Seconds ticked by and the ground gave a light tremor before a large orange ball burst from it and sailed into the sky. When it reached the high point, the ball exploded with a loud bang and multiple flaming meteorites began plunging to the ground whistling loudly. Lily knew Draco-Meteor was a one hit knockout and had to move fast to save Swellow from getting hit.

"Swellow, dodge it!" Lily yelled.

Swellow swerved in between the meteorites and the kept sending frequent glances from the ground as Gabite had yet to surface. Swellow did a quick loop to avoid getting crushed by a meteorite and dove back to the ground. Each meteorite would hit the ground with a loud bang and create a shockwave that would course through the whole area. The battle itself drew the attention of a lot of people who had been watching for a while. When the attack ended, Swellow was now flying low to the ground and Ash made his next move.

"Gabite, jump up and use Dragon Claw!" Ash shouted.

Gabite burst from the ground several feet in front of Swellow with his arms brought back. His claws were glowing bright green and he leapt at Swellow giving two fast slashes. Each claw raked across Swellow's chest and wing, earning a loud cry from the unsuspecting pokémon. Swellow hit the ground and slid to a stop in front of Lily while Gabite was kneeling with his back turned to Swellow. One set of claws was burrowed in the ground while the other was outstretched and still glowing. The crowd erupted into cheers as they witnessed the finishing hit for the fight.

"Swellow is unable to battle! Gabite is the winner!" Misty said raising her hand to Ash. "The winner of the battle is Ash!"

"Alright!" Ash cheered as he ran to Gabite on the field.

Gabite jumped at Ash and chomped down on his head to show his excitement at winning the match. Ash's arms flailed wildly as he tried to pull his head out of Gabite's large mouth. Finally breaking free, Ash wrapped his arms around Gabite and patted his head.

"You were awesome, Gabite!" Ash praised. "Thanks a bunch!"

"Gab!" Gabite said back as he returned the gesture.

Lily had a small smile spread across her face as she walked over to Swellow who had roused from her unconscious state. She stroked Swellow's head lovingly and thanked her for the fight she put up. Holding up the Poké Ball, Lily returned Swellow to it before tucking it away. She stood up and saw Ash walking over to her with Gabite alongside him and Pikachu on his shoulder. Ash was beaming as he held his hand out to shake Lily's when he stopped in front of her.

"Thanks for the battle, Lily. You're a strong trainer," Ash said waiting for Lily to shake his hand.

"Thanks, but I don't think I'll be as good as you," Lily replied shaking his hand.

"If you keep talking like that you won't. Just keep up the training and I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"I will. Thanks for the battle, Ash."

"No problem. Let's battle again sometime!"

Lily nodded with a grin and turned on her heel before vanishing into the crowd as it left the area. Ash rested his hand on Gabite's head and rubbed it for a job well done. Misty hurried over to Ash and she looked ecstatic at his victory and the performance he gave. Not only did Ash win, but Misty felt something as she watched the intense battle between him and Lily. She was able to feel the spark that made her enjoy battles and it excited her to know that she could battle and have fun again. All it took was to watch Ash's passion for his pokémon and him battling to do the trick. Daisy's words echoed from her memory again.

_"If I remember correctly, the last time I saw you hyped up for a battle was when you battled your boyfriend back in the day."_

"So what did you think, Misty?" Ash asked resting his hands behind his head again. "I've still got it, eh?"

"Ash, that battle was amazing," Misty answered with a broad grin. "I've seen you battle before, but now it's like you're a completely different person."

"Aw, come on. I'm still the same guy."

"Yeah, you are. Just a lot stronger and more confident for sure."

Ash chuckled and returned Gabite to his ball and tucked it away. He gave a stretch and looked back at Misty.

"Hey, sorry about making you wait through that battle. I should have taken you back first," Ash apologized looking a little guilty.

"Are you kidding? I'm glad I waited and watched the fight. I was able to see how you've changed with your battle strategy and as a battler all together. It was very entertaining, Ash," Misty replied.

"Well, if you say so."

* * *

Ash and Misty continued their walk back to the gym enjoying the sun as it was starting to set behind the towering skyscrapers. They walked in silence enjoying each other's company and Misty leaned on Ash's arm a little bit. She was equally happy that he didn't react to her doing so, but she wasn't sure if it was because he was thinking about something else to notice or he was just tired. Shaking her head she cleared her mind of those thoughts and just enjoyed the silent walk they were having.

Five minutes had gone by and they were now outside the front doors to the gym. Misty reluctantly pushed herself off of Ash's arm and looked at him again. It was time to say goodbye again and Misty felt a little sad at doing so. While she knew she would see him again soon, it seemed like it would be the last time for a long while each time it happened. She walked up to Ash and hugged him again. Ash happily returned the gesture and wrapped his arm around her lower back and buried his other hand in her hair. They stayed like that for almost a minute before breaking apart.

"Thanks for visiting, Ash. It was great to see you again," Misty said.

"No problem, Misty. It was good seeing you again too," Ash replied with a sincere smile.

"Well, I hope I see you again before you leave for the tournament next week."

"You will. I promise."

Misty smiled back and waved goodbye as she entered the gym. Ash plucked Charizard's ball from his hip and walked back to the street. He turned around and gave one long look at the gym before throwing Charizard's ball up to summon him. Charizard gave a loud roar and kneeled down by Ash to allow him to climb on. Ash and Pikachu climbed onto Charizard's back and he flapped his wings, taking to the sky. Ash continued looking at the gym until it was blocked from view. He gave a sigh as he looked into the sunset.

_"Dad, how can you tell if a girl likes you?"_ Ash thought.

* * *

**Well that's the chapter and I hope you all enjoyed it. I hope you enjoyed the battle between Ash and the OC Lily May Evans (jg13145) this chapter and Gible's evolution. I am still picking OCs and it's not easy, all I ask is that you're patient and stop asking if your character made the cut or mentioning them in your reviews. As I said before, ALL OCs have been accepted, whether yours makes the difference on being a support character is all on my judgment of what I believe readers will enjoy to see in a character instead of some cliche kinds. In other news I'm on spring break right now until next Sunday so that's awesome and I'll try to sneak another update in outside of other things I'll be doing. In the meantime, check out the info below. See you next time. -CaptainPrice**

**Support OCs **

**1.) Leonard Wortham (TheLeadBrick)**

**2.)**

**3.)**

**4.) Yue Wang (Bluemagesfairytail)**

**5.)**

**6.)**

**CaptainPrice's Rant(s) of the day (This is meant to be humorous. I'm not doing this to attack anybody.)**

**1.) Maybe all you other authors out there know where I come from when I say this. But don't you sometimes feel frustrated with OC forms if you've written an OC accepting story? My biggest problem is that whenever I receive one, sometimes the author who submits the OC puts in parentheses after a word or a phrase to further explain something. I know they do it to help out, but in my mind it feels as though they are questioning my intelligence. I'm not an idiot. I have a confirmed IQ of 108 which is average intelligence and I'm a Junior in college. Chances are 9 times out of 10, I will understand what you're saying. If I don't understand, I look it up via the dictionary or online.**

**Story Shoutouts:**

**"Unova Eclipse: Bringer of Change" by bluemagesfairytail**

**Fey didn't want this to happen. Not again. Now they're seventeen, and brought together again. But this time, instead of Galactic, Plasma lurks, and a traitor surfaces. New faces, new chances, new possibilities. But it's hard to believe one of them has the intent to sabotage them all.**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**

******"Time of Courage" by FiammaJoule: **

******When there's nowhere left to run, where do you go? When the government is after you and everyone appears to be your enemy, who do you turn to? Not your friends and not your family. After all is said and done, you only have each other and your Pokemon. It's time to step up and steel your courage if you want to survive.**

******"Thieves of Ordia" by FallingSunset**

******Steampunk AU. Ordia: a region full of marvelous inventions and booming with all sorts of Pokemon. Erin begins her journey in the industrious city of Ironstead. Soon she finds out that all is not right in Ordia as thieves have been showing up everywhere, stealing Legendary Pokemon and causing chaos to the world. Can Erin and defeat the league and the thieves?**

**"Red Steel Travels" by An Anon Fellow**

**A new Trainers sets out to do what they all dream. Become the best Trainer there is. But is all as it seems?**


	8. One Step Forward

**What's up everybody? Well I'm here with another update, a week after the last one. Sorry if some of you have been waiting, but like I said, I was on spring break and I was busy doing other things as well so that took priority over writing. I would like to take this time and thank all of you for the continued support with my story now having 110 reviews, 64 favs, 69 alerts, 1 C2 and 7,211 hits. Thank you all for being awesome. Now let's get to the next chapter here which is filled with more action for those that want it, so I hope ya'll enjoy it. As usual, OC info and everything else is at the end of the chapter.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash goes up against Red and Pikachu again for round two to see if he improved at all since their last encounter. But is it enough to beat them? Ash also asks Red a question that's been circling in his head about their connection.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Ash opened his eyes and was once again in the cave awaiting Red's arrival. Glancing around, he couldn't find any trace of his counterpart and decided to wait. Minutes ticked by as Ash waited for Red to reveal himself but there was no sign of him showing up any time soon. Ash crossed his arms and started to grow impatient with all of the waiting. He wanted to get his training underway to grow stronger and waiting for Red was starting to annoy him. He gave a sigh and looked down at Pikachu who looked a little irritated as well.

"Well, since he's not here, let's do some stretches and warm up," Ash said pulling out his Poké Balls.

"Pika," Pikachu said with a nod.

"Alright everybody, come on out!"

All of the balls opened and one by one each of his pokémon came out onto the field. Charizard, Gabite, Bulbasaur, Pidgeot and Totodile appeared in front of him and snapped to attention, ready for any orders that he had. He put his hands on his hips as he looked at his team.

"Well, we're going to do some calisthenics while we wait for Red to show up," Ash said stretching his back. "Start limbering up with some stretches."

Each of his pokémon started doing exercises ranging from lunges, arm stretches, toe touches, shoulder rolls, and hamstring stretches. Ash himself had been doing pushups to get warmed up and gain focus for his upcoming battle with Red. Footsteps met his ears and he turned towards the center of the battlefield to see Red emerge from the shadows with Pikachu perched on his shoulder.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming," Ash said standing up.

"I was testing you," Red replied with a deadpanned look.

"Testing me?"

"Remember what I told you last night about being productive and doing warm ups with your team?"

"Yeah, you told me to be innovative. What does that have to do with anything?"

"I wanted to see how long it would take you to act without my guidance. You took a little longer than I expected, but at least you got the gist of it."

"Thanks, I guess."

Red walked over to Ash's pokémon who all seemed to snap to attention when he got in front of them. He went down the row and inspected them one by one to see how they looked. All of them appeared to be warmed up for the battle and decently strong. His eyes fell on Gabite and he was mildly surprised to see that he had evolved from being a Gible since last night.

"I see Gible evolved," Red pointed out. "Was that the result of the battle you had with that girl today?"

"Yeah," Ash nodded but looked at Red with a curious expression. "How did you know about that battle?"

"I'll answer your question in time. Right now I want to start our battle."

"Let's do it!"

* * *

Red nodded and went to his end of the field while Ash and his team made their way over their end and prepared to start. Just like the night before, Red nodded at Pikachu to enter the battlefield and he did so without hesitation. Pikachu glared at Ash's team with sparks emitting from his cheeks to add intimidation. Ash's team was known not to submit to fear and glared right back at Pikachu, eager to get some payback after last night's match. Red had been observing Ash's team and was trying to figure out which pokémon Ash would use in their fight. He was sure that Ash would choose Bulbasaur, Gabite and possibly Pikachu since Charizard and Totodile would be at a serious disadvantage. Although that seemed like the most logical answer, Red did not let the possibility of Charizard being used leave his head.

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!" Ash said pointing at the arena.

Bulbasaur gave a grunt and ran into the center of the battlefield, glaring at Pikachu as he took his spot. Red nodded to himself as his thoughts were proven true with Bulbasaur being one of the first choices.

"You first, Ash," Red said crossing his arms.

"Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf!" Ash barked

"Pikachu, dodge and use Iron Tail."

Bulbasaur gave a loud cry and aimed his bulb at Pikachu, unleashing a barrage of sharp sickle shaped leaves. Pikachu jumped to the side and avoided the attack and ran at Bulbasaur, all the while coating his tail in iron to strike him. Pikachu jumped high in the air and flipped to bring the tail down on Bulbasaur's head. Ash saw his window of opportunity to attack and made his next call.

"Bulbasaur, grab Pikachu with Vine Whip!" Ash ordered.

"Pikachu, dodge it!" Red shouted.

Two large and thick vines extended from Bulbasaur's back and shot for Pikachu. Pikachu did a twist in midair and narrowly avoided the first vine, but the second vine managed to get a grip around Pikachu's tail. As Bulbasaur got a grip on Pikachu's tail, Pikachu's Iron Tail canceled out as he was held upside-down. Pikachu started to struggle to break free from Bulbasaur's viselike grip to avoid the next incoming attack.

"Pikachu, use Thunder," Red said as his eyes narrowed at Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, use your other vine and dig into the ground!" Ash said quickly.

Pikachu released a monstrous electrical discharge and engulfed Bulbasaur completely. Bulbasaur gave a loud cry and scrunched his face up in pain as he fought through it, not willing to fail Ash's command. Bulbasaur stabbed his vine into the rocky ground and managed to take the rest of the attack without letting go of Pikachu.

"Now, Bulbasaur, use Body Slam with your vines!" Ash yelled.

Bulbasaur brought his vines back and slammed them into the ground, earning a cry of pain from Pikachu. The hit itself seemed to daze him and left him open for a follow-up attack and Ash was not going to let that slip through his finger.

"Bulbasaur, hit Pikachu with Sleep Powder!" Ash shouted.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail and cut free from the vines," Red said adjusting his hat.

Pikachu's tail was covered in iron once again and he gave a wild swing at the vine. His tail hit the vine with enough force for its grip to lessen and he gave a hard tug. Pikachu landed in front of Bulbasaur and jumped back to avoid a Vine Whip from him. Bulbasaur aimed his bulb at Pikachu once again and a light blue powder exited the bulb and blew towards him. Pikachu jumped back away from the blue powder, but was not fast enough. The powder surrounded Pikachu and he immediately froze. His head drooped and he started to sway from side to side.

"Pikachu, wake up!" Red yelled in an attempt to awaken his partner.

"Bulbasaur, jump into the light and use Solar Beam!" Ash ordered pointing at the light from the ceiling.

Bulbasaur did as he was told and ran into the light before turning around to aim his bulb at Pikachu again. The bulb began to glow white as it stored energy from the sun that was pouring into the room. Pikachu still showed no signs of moving and Red continued calling out to him to wake him up and dodge the impending attack. Bulbasaur finished taking in light and bent down low to aim the bulb at Pikachu to unleash the devastating attack. Once Bulbasaur finished aiming, he shot the terrifying blast of energy at Pikachu who had yet to move.

"Pikachu, get up and dodge!" Red yelled.

Just as the beam was upon Pikachu, his eyes snapped open and he jumped back from the attack. There was a loud boom as Bulbasaur's Solar Beam hit the ground and created a small dome of white light as the energy expanded. The ground shook and sent debris and a blast of wind around the area. Ash shielded his eyes but looked really pleased with the supposed outcome. He glanced at Red and could see he looked indifferent to what had happened. The dome faded away and Bulbasaur and Ash's eyes widened with disbelief before narrowing in anger.

Pikachu was standing a few feet away from the blast radius and had only minor bruises from the Solar Beam.

_"What?"_ Ash thought as he looked at Pikachu. _"How is that possible? I know he woke up before the attack hit, but there's no way he could have dodged the attack that quickly!"_

"Not bad, Ash," Red said with a nod. "A surprise status inflicting move at the last second was good. Had Pikachu not woken up, you may have sealed your victory early."

Ash growled but his determination grew to a new height. A smirk made its way across his face as he looked back at Red with newfound confidence.

"Well we're just getting started, Red!" Ash declared. "We'll beat Pikachu today!"

"Then do it soon," Red replied. "The true fight has just begun."

Ash nodded and took off his hat to air out his hair before putting it back on. Red made his next move to put Ash on the defensive to see how he would react and fight back.

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle," Red said nodding at Bulbasaur.

Pikachu began bounding for Bulbasaur and coated himself a potent amount of electricity as he made his way towards his target. Bulbasaur watched closely and growled at remembering what happened the night before against Pikachu and the Volt Tackle. He stayed on his toes and waited for Ash to make the call on his next move.

"Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf!" Ash yelled.

Bulbasaur bent low and sent another bombardment of sharp leaves at Pikachu. He was curious as to what his master's plan was but trusted his judgment and follow through with his call. The leaves soared at Pikachu, but Pikachu made no effort to dodge the attack. Pikachu hit the leaves and they disintegrated on impact, turning to ash and blowing away in the air. This was a minor setback for Ash as he had expected Pikachu to swerve and avoid the leaves.

_"Well that didn't work,"_ Ash thought with disappointment. _"Let's try plan b."_

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip and hold your ground against Pikachu!"

Bulbasaur's vines extended out from his back and rested in front of him as a shield to brace against Pikachu. Pikachu jumped up at Bulbasaur with a cold look on his face as he was ready to dish out some payback for taking some damage from Solar Beam. Bulbasaur's vines were ready and Pikachu dove right into them. The force of Volt Tackle was so strong that Bulbasaur was pushed back a few feet when his vines intercepted Pikachu to block the full hit. The electricity crackled and engulfed Bulbasaur before exploding in a loud bang. A large cloud of dust and smoke concealed Pikachu and Bulbasaur from view. The smoke cleared and revealed both Bulbasaur and Pikachu a few feet apart. Pikachu winced as the recoil hit him and Bulbasaur collapsed to the ground in obvious pain.

"Bulbasaur, return!" Ash said.

Bulbasaur glanced back at Ash and grunted in response as he limped off of the field and to Ash's side. Red was a little taken aback by Ash's sudden switch since he was usually one to hold off switching until a round was won or if his pokémon took a lot of damage. Granted Volt Tackle was a powerful move, it would not have much effect on Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur looked as though he was still in good condition to battle, but now Ash was possibly reserving him for later.

_"What do you have in store for me now, Ash?"_ Red thought with newfound interest.

"Gabite, you're up," Ash said looking at Gabite.

"Gab!" Gabite nodded and he jumped into the arena.

Red's perked up interest dropped at seeing another pokémon that he fought the night before. He was hoping to see something new but decided to let it slide and see what Ash had planned with his newly evolved Gabite.

"Gabite, use Dig!" Ash barked.

Gabite jumped in the air and dove into the ground making a decent sized hole to be seen. Pikachu saw the tactic and prepared to follow Red's next order. His eyes scanned for any signs of movement in the ground so he could escape Gabite. He acted on his own and pressed his tail in the ground to try and sense any vibrations that Gabite could be causing to pinpoint his location. However, Gabite's movements were a lot harder to track and whenever he picked up a trace of movement it would be gone the next second.

"Pikachu, get ready to attack," Red warned as he watched the ground closely.

"Gabite, jump up and use Dragon Pulse!" Ash shouted.

Gabite burst through the ground with a loud crash, kicking up rocks and dirt in the process. As he ascended into the air behind Pikachu, his mouth opened wide and a decent sized ball of turquoise energy began to form. Pikachu turned around and got eyes on Gabite to prepare for his next attack.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail on my command," Red said keeping an eye on Gabite.

Gabite fired the ball of energy and Pikachu who diverted power into his tail to carry out Red's command. The ball got closer and closer to Pikachu and was almost upon him when Red finally gave the order to use his attack.

"Now, use Iron Tail and send that Dragon Pulse back!" Red said.

Pikachu gave a hard swing at the Dragon Pulse when it was within range. A loud clang was heard as the Dragon Pulse hit Pikachu's tail and was being held back with it. Pikachu used all the power he could muster and finished swinging his tail. The Dragon Pulse was sent back at Gabite who was surprised at his power being turned against him.

"Gabite, use Dragon Claw and stop Dragon Pulse!" Ash yelled.

Gabite's claws began to glow green as power built inside of them. He gave a vicious slash at the Dragon Pulse and it exploded with a loud bang. He landed back on the ground and glared at Pikachu who was glaring right back at him. While this was going on, Ash was coming up with a new plan to defeat Pikachu. His mind was racing as he began thinking of ideas and he was able to pick one in particular that stood out to him.

_"That just might work,"_ Ash thought with a smirk, _"watch out, Red. You won't see this one coming."_

"Gabite, use Dig again!" Ash ordered.

Gabite dove into the ground once more and was out of sight from Pikachu. Pikachu repeated the same tactic as before and pressed his tail to the ground to search for Gabite. Just like before, Gabite's movements were almost nonexistent.

"Gabite, jump up and use Dragon Pulse again!" Ash hollered.

Gabite burst out of the earth again and had another turquoise ball of energy building up in his mouth. Red snapped his fingers and Pikachu jumped up in the air with his tail covered in iron again. Gabite launched the Dragon Pulse at Pikachu but was met with the same result as the last time. Pikachu sent the ball back at Gabite and this time since they were closer together, Gabite's reaction time was not fast enough to dispel the attack. The Dragon Pulse hit Gabite in the chest and gained a cry of pain and rage from him. Pikachu still had Iron Tail activated and was now directly over Gabite's head. Red snapped his fingers again and Pikachu slammed the metal covered tail on top of Gabite's crown.

Gabite went spiraling down to the ground and a loud crash followed as he hit it. He gingerly pushed himself to his feet out of the crater that he had made upon hitting the ground. Pikachu landed gracefully in front of Gabite and he had a cocky look on his face. The look itself made Gabite's blood boil and he gave another menacing growl as he glared at Pikachu.

"Gabite, use Dig!" Ash shouted.

Gabite burrowed into the ground to which Red and Pikachu both shook their heads. Ash had tried this a few times already and this was getting him nowhere in the fight. At this rate the only thing he would succeed in doing is tiring out Gabite and leaving him open for an easy defeat. Red shook his head in disappointment as he had hoped Ash would have implemented a better battle strategy for their fight by now. He glanced at Ash and could see he still had a confident look in his eyes and was beginning to wonder if Ash did have a plan.

_"What are you up to, Ash?"_ Red thought as he crossed his arms. _"You're usually one to have a plan by this time and I have yet to see a new move to be executed."_

The battle continued on with Gabite using Dig and Dragon Pulse over and over while Pikachu just used Iron Tail with an occasional Quick Attack in between each of Gabite's jumps to the surface. Numerous holes were now on the battlefield that had countless connecting tunnels underneath. So far, Ash's plan was coming to a close as he prepared to do a final move that would hopefully catch Red off guard and lead to Pikachu's defeat. He looked up at Red and could see a blank look on Red's face. It was as if he had grown bored of their fight and that was another thing that he was trying to do. Ash believed he had successfully lured Red into a false sense of security and it was time to change up the strategy.

"Gabite, use Dig again!" Ash ordered.

"That won't work, Ash!" Red called out, "Pikachu, get ready to counter back again."

Gabite made another hole as he tunneled deeper into the labyrinth of passages he made underground from continuous usage of Dig. He kept his ears sharp as he awaited Ash's next command.

"Gabite, use Draco-Meteor!" Ash shouted.

The sudden move change caught Red by surprise. His eyes immediately went to the ground and he took in his surroundings. As Red observed the scene before him, he quickly came to the realization that this was Ash's true plan the whole time. A small smirk spread across his face when he figured out Ash's plan and he had to applaud him for the clever idea.

_"When it comes to battling you sure know how to control the field, Ash,"_ Red thought as he continued looking at the ground.

Seconds ticked by and the ground gave a small tremor as Gabite conjured up the attack. An orange ball shot up from one of the holes in the center of the arena and climbed high into the air. When the orange ball reached the limit, it exploded in a loud bang and large meteorites began to rain down from the ceiling. Each meteorite whistled loudly as it came to the ground towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu, dodge the attack by going into the tunnels!" Red ordered.

Pikachu dove into one of the many holes that littered the ground just in time to avoid one of the many meteorites that fell to the floor. The ground would have shockwaves pulse through it on each meteorite that would slam into the earth. While Red believed he dodged another one of Gabite's attacks, he unwittingly walked into Ash's fallback plan.

"Gabite, use Dragon Claw!" Ash barked.

Underground, Pikachu was crawling through one of the many tunnels that Gabite had made earlier. When he heard Ash's next order for Gabite, his mind went to full alert. Only Gabite knew the layout of the tunnels which meant he could be hiding anywhere in them. Sure enough, Gabite got the jump on him when Ash gave his command. Pikachu's mouth opened in a silent scream as Gabite jumped up from a tunnel directly under him and slashed his claws against his stomach. Pikachu winced and rolled out of the way to get ready to defend himself.

Pikachu turned around, only to find that Gabite had vanished on the turn of his heel. His eyes darted around wildly as he searched for the sneaky pokémon, but to no avail. Pikachu's senses went haywire when he picked up a presence from above him. He leaped forward and narrowly dodged the full hit of Dragon Claw. Gabite dropped in on him from a tunnel above and managed to graze his back with the attack.

"Pikachu, up to the surface!" Red ordered.

Pikachu found a tunnel that exited the ground and to the surface and started climbing up it as fast as he could. While Pikachu was climbing, Gabite was at the bottom of the tunnel looking up.

"Gabite, use Draco-Meteor one more time!" Ash yelled.

Gabite opened his mouth wide and another orange ball formed inside of it. He sent the ball skyward and it was hot on Pikachu's tail as he continued climbing to the top of the hole. Just as Pikachu surfaced, the ball swallowed him whole and carried him high into the air. Ash felt a large grin spread across his face when he saw that Gabite succeeded in trapping Pikachu in Draco-Meteor. The ball exploded with a loud boom that echoed around the caves of the mountain and meteorites fell to the ground whistling loudly. When the meteor shower was over, Gabite jumped out of the hole at the center of the field and searched for Pikachu.

Pikachu was lying on his stomach trying to cope with the severe pain he experienced from the Draco-Meteor. He struggled to push himself to his feet and Gabite got ready to attack once again.

"Finish it with Rock Smash!" Ash barked.

Gabite jumped at Pikachu with his arm glowing white as he brought it back to bring down on Pikachu. Just as Gabite towered over Pikachu to deliver the final blow, Pikachu fell to his back out cold. Gabite stood still as he waited to see if Pikachu was faking. One minute went by before Red nodded and walked out to the field to collect Pikachu. Gabite stopped the attack and watched Red as he picked Pikachu off of the ground. Red gently patted Pikachu on the head before turning to look at Ash. He gave him a brief nod for the battle.

"Well done, Ash," Red said as he walked over to him.

"Alright!" Ash cheered, "We won!"

Gabite hurried over to Ash and chomped down on his head in joy at winning the battle. He was awarded with praise and pats from his teammates for a job well done. Once the celebration was over, Ash returned Gabite, Charizard, Bulbasaur, Pidgeot and Totodile to their Poké Balls. Pikachu climbed up to his shoulder and beamed broadly at their first win against Red. They had finished their first step and now it was time to prepare for the next one by facing Red's next pokémon.

"Ash, take a seat and we can discuss the battle," Red said as he pointed to the stairs at the base of the arena.

* * *

Ash walked over to the stairs and plumped down on them as Red did the same sitting across from him. Red continued petting Pikachu as he roused from his unconscious state. He looked up at Ash and began to give him his evaluation.

"Alright, Ash, how do you think you did?" Red asked.

"I believe I did a lot better from last night," Ash said. "I was faster with my counterattacks and I used a more strategic approach this time instead of my usual up close and personal methods. I was also able to trick you by using the field to my advantage and make you drop your guard."

"Good," Red said with a nod. "I will give you points for what you did with Gabite and the field. That strategy was good because not only did you lure me into the trap, you had a secondary plan of action for Pikachu if he used the holes Gabite made. The strategy was well executed and because of that, you were able to trap Pikachu in Draco-Meteor to beat him."

"I had to be careful with that plan. I remembered what you said last night about Draco-Meteor being too slow and I had to find a way to speed it up. Granted Gabite is a lot faster now, it was still too risky to use that move in Pikachu's line of sight. So I had Gabite make those tunnels and then use Draco-Meteor underground and be safe doing so."

Red nodded and Ash swore he saw a faint smile on his face but it reverted back to its neutral look.

"Overall, job well done, Ash," Red said. "I really don't have anything to say to you this time around. You took my advice to mind and used it to create your own defensive strategy. I only have one thing to ask you though."

"What's that?" Ash asked.

"What was your purpose for sending out Bulbasaur and then withdrawing him after a few attacks?"

"I wanted to see if Sleep Powder would help at all during the battle. While it did have an effect, it still didn't work since Pikachu broke free from it. I also felt that Bulbasaur's speed wasn't enough to counter Pikachu since the only speedy move he has is Razor Leaf."

Red nodded at the answer as Ash gave him it. He was glad that Ash tried to do a status inflicting approach since they could make all the difference in a battle, which is almost what happened to Pikachu with Sleep Powder. Not having anything else to say, Red stood up and began walking back to the light. Ash stood up quickly to ask him a question.

"Red, wait a second," Ash said as he walked up behind him. "You never answered my question from earlier."

"Which one was that?" Red asked glancing over his shoulder.

"How were you able to see my battle today? How exactly are you and I speaking every night now? That's surely not coincidence."

"You're right, it's not. I did promise I'd tell you how that was happening, Ash, but it's time for me to go. Tomorrow, instead of a battle we can have this discussion. Deal?"

"Deal. But can't you at least give me a hint or something to go on?"

"I suppose I owe you that much. I would suggest you go to Professor Oak's lab tomorrow and ask him or Gary about "The Original One," they should know who you're talking about."

With that, Red walked into the light and vanished from sight. Ash was happy that he was able to beat Red, but he was a little disappointed that he did not answer his question about their connection. Ash had no idea who this "Original One" was, but he decided to humor Red and go ask Professor Oak and Gary about it when he woke up tomorrow. Shrugging to himself he looked down at Pikachu who looked giddy at completing the first step Red had given them by beating Pikachu.

"Well, we beat his Pikachu, buddy," Ash said scratching his head as he climbed to his shoulder. "I wonder what his next pokémon is that he will use for our next battle."

"Pika," Pikachu said with a nod.

Ash crossed his arms as he walked back to the stairs, thinking about Red's words.

_"The Original One, huh? Who is that?"_ Ash thought.

* * *

It was late afternoon and the sun was just about to set over Celestic Town. Two figures could be seen walking up to a small house that sat at the corner of the road that led out of the town. The two figures were a boy and his Lucario. The boy stood around six feet tall. He had a Caucasian complexion, piercing cobalt blue eyes, blonde hair that was short on the sides and longer on the top that allowed his bangs to be swept to the left side of his face. He also had broad shoulders and a lean muscle build to top it off.

The clothes that he wore looked outlandish to the modern time. He was garbed in an old medieval looking outfit that turned heads in curiosity for the weird wardrobe choice. On his head was a blue hat that was pointed at the front and spiked up in the back. There was a dark blue cape that hung off his shoulders, attached to his blue vest that was on top of a grey long sleeve shirt. He had grey cotton pants and dark blue boots that almost came up to his knees and a pair of blue gloves that had some sort of gem on the back of each hand.

The boy gave a yawn as he walked beside Lucario as they walked to the house at the end of the road. Lucario looked at him out of the corner of his eye when he heard his master express his exhaustion. The two of them were out in the woods all day doing training to improve their skills for future battles.

_"You should eat something and get some rest when we get inside, Danny,"_ Lucario thought as he looked at him.

"I'm okay, Lucario," Danny said back. "I just need some food and I'll be ready to go again."

_"Master, we've been training all day. It's best to let our bodies recover or else we'll be too weak to do anything tomorrow."_

"I guess you're right."

Danny let out a sigh and trudged up the stairs to the porch and stopped beside the mailbox. He grabbed the mail while Lucario opened the door and entered the house. Danny followed behind and plopped down on the couch as he entered the living room. He gave another yawn as he browsed through the various envelopes and magazines that were addressed for him. Finding nothing of interest, he dropped the mail on the coffee table. A small envelope fell out of the pile and landed before his feet. Danny gave a grunt and picked up the letter and upon closer inspection, he saw the Pokémon League emblem on the front.

The envelope managed to garner his attention and he opened it just as Lucario sat down beside him and rested his feet on the table. Danny pulled out the letter and his eyes scanned it. His face lit up with excitement and got Lucario's attention.

_"What's got you so happy, Danny?"_ Lucario asked.

"Take a look at this my friend," Danny replied showing him the letter.

Lucario rubbed his eyes and started to read the letter.

_Dear Mr. McBride,_

_I would like to extend an offer to you that is only presented to the most prestigious of pokémon trainers in the eyes of the Pokémon League. There is a tournament that takes place during the summer shortly after the Pokémon Leagues of each region come to a close. The Pokémon World Tournament takes place from late May until mid-August and it will be held at the Indigo Plateau this year. If you wish to partake in this event, please arrive at the Indigo Plateau no later than May 25th to register. I truly hope to see you there, Mr. McBride._

_Sincerely, Charles Goodshow_

Lucario blinked and his aura could pick up on Danny's excitement and happiness at being recognized as a great trainer by Charles Goodshow no less. He turned to Danny and could see that familiar fire in his eyes and knew that his mind had been made up.

"Lucario, let's eat something and get some sleep," Danny said standing up and walking to the kitchen. "We need to be in fit condition to train tomorrow."

Lucario smirked and shook his head as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

* * *

The Hoenn region was known to have a vast amount of exotic pokémon and it was well known for its more tropical climate. Petalburg City looked beautiful and peaceful in the night sky as the lights illuminated the city. The streets were still bustling with people, even after the sun had set and now the nightlife was just heating up. A teenage girl was making her way through the large masses and on her way home from the recently opened battle arena. She had been going there for the past week since it opened to battle countless trainers and hone her skills as a trainer. However, she was on her way home right now after losing at the last second during her battle.

The girl stood around five and a half feet. She had warm cobalt blue eyes, auburn brown shoulder length hair that fell in loose curls with wispy bangs that parted to the left. She had a tan complexion and her body was fit and slim. She was wearing light blue short shorts, a cerulean blue tank top underneath multicolored plaid shirt, white high top, a white hat with half a Poke Ball emblem on the front and black fingerless gloves.

"Damn-it," the girl muttered as she clenched her fists. "I can't believe he beat me. I was so close!"

The girl ran her hands through her hair and took a deep breath to calm down. She released the breath and a small smile formed on her face. A loss is a loss and she would just have to better herself from it. If she wanted to be Fighting-Type Specialist, she had to get back up and fight no matter how many times she would get knocked down.

"Claire Atwood is not a quitter!" Claire muttered to herself.

She continued her walk back home and her mind drifted back to the final battle that took place in the arena that night.

_/flashback/_

_Claire had been dominating in all of her matches against her opponents and was having a blast. All of her fights had been filling her with nonstop adrenaline and she loved it. She had managed to make it to the final round of the night and was going up against another trainer who, too, was from Hoenn. This wasn't the first time she had seen him in the arena either and he was a fairly strong trainer. Her opponent was none other than Little Root native, Jake Washington._

_Jake stood at six foot one and he had friendly blue eyes and a comforting smile on his face as they battled. Claire had used her Breloom against his Swampert, so she had the type advantage, but Jake managed to pull a last second win out._

_Swampert was coping with the damage he took from a Solar Beam attack and Claire was surprised that he was able to take that much damage without being defeated._

_"This has been a fun battle, Jake," Claire said as she made a fist. "But this match is mine! Breloom, finish it with Mach Punch!"_

_Breloom's tail began to glow white as he charged at Swampert and brought it back to deliver the ferocious attack. As the distance between them grew shorter and shorter, Swampert's eyes snapped open and Jake knew that it was time to unleash the final attack of the battle. A grin worked its way across his face as he pointed at Breloom._

_"Swampert, use Hyper Beam!" Jake ordered._

_Swampert's mouth opened and a large orange and red ball began to take shape in it. The power just finished building just as Breloom was within striking distance. Breloom brought her tail back to deliver the punch but never got the luxury of doing so. Swampert fired the Hyper Beam at pointblank range. The beam crashed into Breloom's stomach and sent her high in the air and she landed in a heap at Claire's feet._

_"Breloom is unable to battle," the referee said holding a flag to Jake's side. "The winner is Jake Washington!"_

_The crowd roared with applause as the heart pounding battle finished. Claire squatted down beside Breloom and gently stroked her head, giving a soft smile. She returned Breloom to her Poké Ball and stood up to go and shake Jake's hand. Jake and Swampert made their way over to her and he had a large grin on his face as he held out his hand to shake hers._

_"Great battle, Claire," Jake said taking her hand and shaking it. "Let's do it again sometime."_

_"Yeah, I'll be looking forward to it!" Claire said with a nod._

_/flashback end/_

Claire gave another sigh at the memory of her defeat and shook her head. Her mood turned around completely and a confident look came back to her face. She just had to train harder if she wanted to win and nothing would stop her from achieving her goal of becoming a Fighting-Type Master.

_"I'll win next time, Jake,"_ Claire thought. _"Just you wait."_

She turned left and walked up the path to her house and entered it. It was dark inside since she was now the only one at home. Her brothers were out on their own journeys and her parents were still working. She took off her shoes and bag and hung it on the hanger by the door. Claire entered the kitchen and could see a note on the table beside the mail stack. She picked up the note and her eyes quickly glanced over it.

_Claire,_

_Dad and I will be working until late tonight. There are leftovers from dinner in the fridge for you to heat up if you're hungry. Make sure you eat and get a good night's sleep._

_Love Mom,_

_P.S., A letter came for you in the mail today._

Claire set down the note and began digging through the pile of mail until she came across an envelope with the Pokémon League emblem on it. She shrugged and opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. She read it as she walked over to the fridge to fish out the dinner that her mother left for her. After placing the food in the microwave, she returned her focus to the letter and her eyes widened with surprise. She beamed brightly after reading the letter and gave a loud whoop in excitement.

"I'm so in!" Claire cheered.

She set the letter down on the table and went to retrieve the food from the microwave.

_Dear Ms. Atwood,_

_I would like to extend an offer to you that is only presented to the most prestigious of pokémon trainers in the eyes of the Pokémon League. There is a tournament that takes place during the summer shortly after the Pokémon Leagues of each region come to a close. The Pokémon World Tournament takes place from late May until mid-August and it will be held at the Indigo Plateau this year. If you wish to partake in this event, please arrive at the Indigo Plateau no later than May 25th to register. I truly hope to see you there, Ms. Atwood._

_Sincerely, Charles Goodshow_

* * *

Ash's eyes fluttered open and he gave a grunt as he turned over to look at his clock. The clock read 5:00 A.M. and he let out a long sigh as he once again woke up early. He sighed in defeat as he realized he would not be able to fall back asleep. Pikachu was sleeping peacefully against the pillow and Ash carefully crawled out of bed to avoid waking his partner. Ash yawned as he plopped down in the beanbag chair in front of his TV and turned it on. He turned the channel to the Pokémon Battle Network to enjoy watching highlight reels and any battles that might be on. He found that he was paying little attention to the television as his mind drifted back to Red's suggestion of talking to Professor Oak and Gary.

_"Who is The Original One?"_ Ash thought as he scratched his head. _"I feel like I've heard that title somewhere before, but I just can't put my finger on it."_

Shrugging it off put his focus back on the TV. Two commentators had finished going through the top ten comeback moments and they were now talking about the upcoming Pokémon World Tournament.

_**"So, John, what do you think we can expect with the tournament starting next week?"**_ Bob asked.

_**"Bob, we can expect nonstop battles and intense competition!"**_ John said in return. _**"This tournament only has the best of the best trainers and that's what we can expect to see."**_

_**"Couldn't have said it better myself."**_

_**"Now I'm not sure how true this next bit is, but I heard rumors that the renowned trainer, Specter, was participating as well."**_

Ash perked up at the mention of Specter participating in the tournament. Specter was an old trainer that had supposedly gone into retirement just before he started his journey as a trainer. He was one of Ash's inspirations and definitely one of the strongest trainers that the world has ever seen. The thought of him possibly coming out of retirement to compete in the tournament psyched him up even more. Ash reached for the small cupboard that was under his television and opened it up and started rummaging around for a small box that contained a bunch of collectable items he had.

He finally found the small box and pulled it out and opened it. Inside was a bunch of merchandise relating to the Pokémon League and then finally, he found what he was searching for. He pulled out a trading card that had Specter on it, only showing his head. His face was hidden under a black mask that had red lenses in the eye sockets. The bit that made this card extra special was that it was autographed by Specter himself. He received the card from his father on his birthday when he turned eight. Ash considered it a treasure because it had the signature of his idol and it was something that he felt made him have a connection with his father.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you, Specter," Ash whispered as he set the card back in the box and put it away in the cupboard.

* * *

**Alright, that's the chapter and yes, I did include OCs, not one, not two, but three. I hope you enjoyed the battles and I hope that the chapter has left you pleased and probably filled with questions. I wanted to point out something about Specter's mask. The original concept I thought of for Specter's mask was that it would look something like the one Funny Man from Hollywood Undead wore on the American Tragedy album. The only difference is that his mask doesn't have the initials, emblem or marks, just the red eyed lenses over the eye sockets. Anyway, that aside, check out the info below for OC info and other matters I forgot to address at the end of the last chapter. Till next time guys. -CaptainPrice**

**OCs introduced: Danny McBride (HP-DG-SB-HA-RR-KB-NT-TD-LL-LJ), Claire Atwood (Gentle Blossom), Jake Washington (Nobel Six)**

**Support OCs **

**1.) Leonard Wortham (TheLeadBrick)**

**2.) Danny McBride (HP-DG-SB-HA-RR-KB-NT-TD-LL-LJ) (Sweet lord, that's a long name.)**

**3.)**

**4.) Yue Wang (Bluemagesfairytail)**

**5.) Claire Atwood (Gentle Blossom)**

**6.)**

**Points:**

**1.) I've gotten questions about combination attacks. There will be NO combination attacks in the story. The closest thing I'll take is if a pokemon is currently doing a move and then cancels it to do another one in its place. **

**2.) If anyone is reading this, there could be some more female OCs, most of them I received are dudes. No duplicate submissions from people who already submitted.**

**Story Shoutouts:**

**"Unova Eclipse: Bringer of Change" by bluemagesfairytail**

**Fey didn't want this to happen. Not again. Now they're seventeen, and brought together again. But this time, instead of Galactic, Plasma lurks, and a traitor surfaces. New faces, new chances, new possibilities. But it's hard to believe one of them has the intent to sabotage them all.**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**

******"Time of Courage" by FiammaJoule: **

******When there's nowhere left to run, where do you go? When the government is after you and everyone appears to be your enemy, who do you turn to? Not your friends and not your family. After all is said and done, you only have each other and your Pokemon. It's time to step up and steel your courage if you want to survive.**

******"Thieves of Ordia" by FallingSunset**

******Steampunk AU. Ordia: a region full of marvelous inventions and booming with all sorts of Pokemon. Erin begins her journey in the industrious city of Ironstead. Soon she finds out that all is not right in Ordia as thieves have been showing up everywhere, stealing Legendary Pokemon and causing chaos to the world. Can Erin and defeat the league and the thieves?**

**"Red Steel Travels" by An Anon Fellow**

**A new Trainers sets out to do what they all dream. Become the best Trainer there is. But is all as it seems?**


	9. Training with a side of History

**Hey all, I'm here with another update. I would like to thank you all for the continued support as I now have over 9000 hits, 70 favs and 81 alerts. You're all awesome and I appreciate all of your comments and continued support. I hope you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you enjoy this one as well as it introduces two OCs. Who they are, you'll just have to read and see. On a side note, I was fairly surprised at reading the reviews that none of you knew who The Original One was. I didn't make it up, it's an actual known being in Pokemon, just known as a different name. I figured most of you would have used google to search, but I'm glad you didn't. So The Original One will be revealed in this chapter, so don't spoil it for yourself. Anyway let's get to the chapter and at the end I've got an OC announcement as well as a new section known as the Hate Mail Section!**

**Chapter Summary: Ash heads to Professor Oak's lab to do some training with his team before talking with Professor Oak and Gary about The Original One. What he learns will surprise him and surely lead to more questions he'll have for Red.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Ash had spent the past two hours watching various battles on the Pokémon Battle Network and was once again fired up to do more training at Oak's laboratory with his pokémon. He had been jotting down notes in a notebook on multiple techniques and strategies he saw other trainers utilizing and was beginning to find a new way to modify them and implement them into his own strategy. So far his notes spread across five pages and his hand had started to cramp from all of the writing. He dropped the notebook and pencil to the side and flexed his hands to give them a stretch.

_"I have to admit I'm pretty impressed with the battle strategies I've seen so far,"_ Ash thought as he rested his hands at the back of his head. _"There are a lot of tactics that I haven't even thought of that can actually benefit to my battling style."_

He glanced out the window and could see the sun was rising and decided to get out of bed and prepare for his day. As he put his clothes on he went down the agenda he had set up. His two main points of focus was to train with his pokémon and then talk to Gary and Professor Oak about "The Original One." Ash could not explain it, but he felt as though he heard that title before and his memory lapse was starting to drive him crazy. Shaking his head with a sigh he tiptoed to his door and opened it to look down the hall. The door to his mother's room was still shut so she was still asleep. Ash felt another presence by his feet and saw Pikachu standing beside him rubbing his eyes.

"Morning, buddy," Ash whispered scratching Pikachu's head.

"Pi," Pikachu grumbled out.

"Let's get a quick breakfast and head to Professor Oak's lab. We need to keep up the training!"

"Pika!"

The two partners crept down the stairs carefully to avoid disturbing Delia's sleep. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, they hurried to the kitchen and grabbed some fruit off of the countertop. Pikachu started nibbling on the apple Ash handed him and Ash mimicked him as well while they made their way to the front door. Ash opened the door and he and Pikachu slipped out and into the cool morning air. The sky was growing dark with rain clouds to which Ash frowned at the poor training conditions. He would most likely have to do on and off intervals which was never good when trying to get a good workout.

"Let's get moving, Pikachu," Ash said as he started to run. "We're going to be soaked when this day is done so let's get as much training in as we can!"

"Pi!" Pikachu nodded as he followed close behind.

* * *

Ash and Pikachu arrived outside the front door to Professor Oak's lab and entered the large building. The pair of them walked down the halls as they searched for the old professor. Not finding the old man anywhere in the lab, Ash shrugged and decided to check out back and see if he was outside. Ash and Pikachu made their way to the vast backyard and continued over to the grassy area where the rest of their friends were. As they got closer, the team noticed their presence and immediately hurried over to them and got in line to listen to what Ash and Pikachu had to say to them. Ash was proud that his pokémon were taking this seriously and were prepared to train whenever he showed up.

"Alright everybody, as you can see the weather won't be on our side today, so we will probably be having intervals of exercise instead of a nonstop one," Ash informed with a disgruntled look.

His pokémon didn't look too pleased with the announcement either, but that wouldn't stop them from accomplishing their task of training. Ash quickly has a smirk spread across his face and he crossed his arms.

"But since training is our passion, we won't let a little rain stop us!" Ash said with enthusiasm.

His pokémon all nodded and voiced their agreement which made Ash even more eager to start the training. Clapping his hands together, he began to explain the training plan to his pokémon. Ash planned on grouping his pokémon together by type so they could spar against each other and practice their moves on targets to test their power. He would go between groups to supervise and give input and observe the spar or the move testing.

He finished checking on Infernape, Charizard, Quilava and Torkoal. Charizard and Infernape had been assisting Quilava and Torkoal with their attacks that they were using on some large rocks and each other during spars. He was very impressed with the amount of improvement that Torkoal and Quilava were showing with the help from Infernape and Charizard. Ash told them that he would be back to check on them again in a few minutes and to keep up the good work to become stronger.

Ash then walked over to Sceptile, Torterra, Bulbasaur and Bayleef to see their progress. He leaned against Torterra and watched alongside him and Sceptile to see Bayleef and Bulbasaur sparring each other. Both of them sent a Razor Leaf at each other to which the attacks collided and the leaves slashed each other to pieces. Ash nodded to himself as he saw that their power was about even on the attack and the strength of the attack would increase with time which pleased him greatly. Bulbasaur and Bayleef were locked in a grip with each other's Vine Whip and trying to overpower the other. In the end, Bulbasaur had won by using whatever strength he could muster and threw her to the side to which she landed hard but got back up ready for more.

"Alright, hold up for a second you two," Ash said as he walked up to Bulbasaur and Bayleef.

Bayleef and Bulbasaur relaxed their stances and took a breather to listen to Ash's advice. Before he started, Ash gently rubbed their heads for their hard work and got happy looks in return. He stood up with a smile and looked at a large tree that was behind them as he decided what he wanted them to do next.

"Nice job you two," Ash praised. "I can see you two are coming along well and you will only grow stronger with what you are doing, so keep it up. Bulbasaur, good job with using your strength on Vine Whip to throw Bayleef off balance. Bayleef, you did well too. Just try and put more oomph into your Vine Whip and you should be able to do what Bulbasaur did."

"Bay," Bayleef nodded at the criticism and looked more motivated to try again.

"Now I want you both to use Razor Leaf on that tree there."

Bulbasaur and Bayleef turned around to face the tree Ash was pointing at and did as requested. Ash observed the damage the tree took from the attacks and he was able to tell who was stronger. He glanced at Bulbasaur and saw the satisfied look on his face while Bayleef looked a little down with her lack of power.

"Hey, Bayleef, don't worry about the attack," Ash said kneeling down by her. "That's why we're doing this training so we can all grow stronger together. Torterra, Sceptile, Bulbasaur and I are here with you to help."

"Bay!" Bayleef jumped on Ash and began nuzzling her face against his at his encouraging words.

"Okay, Bayleef, I've got to go check on the others. Torterra, Sceptile, help Bayleef to try and improve her power. Bulbasaur, come with me, I need your help for a minute."

Torterra and Sceptile nodded and walked up to Bayleef and began giving her advice to what she should try next. Bulbasaur gave Bayleef a pat on the back with his vine before walking beside Ash and over towards Swellow, Staraptor, Noctowl and Pidgeot. Ash gave a sharp whistle to gain their attention and they quickly swooped down to meet him. So far Ash was extremely happy with what he saw with his air supremacy team. All of them were able to match each other in speed and agility which made his job a lot easier since he didn't have to work with them as much yet.

"Nice job you three. I've been watching as I moved between the groups and you're all equal with your speed and swiftness," Ash said with a grin and got a happy squawk in response from the four of them. "Now here's the next thing I want you to do. It's a game and a competition at the same time to make this fun and interesting."

Ash could tell the bird quartet looked very intrigued with his words and smirked as he bent down to pick up a decent sized stick. He handed it to Bulbasaur and Bulbasaur took it with his vine as he picked up on where Ash was going with his plan.

"Bulbasaur will toss this stick up in the air and you all have to try and get it. Now here's the game and the rules. It's a game of keep away, but the only way you can get the stick from the one who has it is to attack them so they drop it or you can try to use speed to your advantage and swipe it. Whoever has control of the stick the longest at the end of the exercise will get an extra treat," Ash said and could tell that the four of them were now eager to compete. "Does that sound good?"

Ash got a collective chorus of approval and nodded at Bulbasaur to start the game. Bulbasaur wound his vine back and launched the stick high into the air. The stick had barely left his grip when Swellow, Noctowl, Pidgeot and Staraptor shot into the sky to get the first possession. Pidgeot proved to be the quickest and managed to get his talons on the piece of wood before flying away from the Swellow, Noctowl and Staraptor who were hot on his tail. Ash nodded again looked down at Bulbasaur.

"Why don't you take a break and watch to see who keeps the stick the longest?" Ash suggested.

Bulbasaur nodded and lied down to keep an eye on the four airborne pokémon. Ash saw Pikachu running up to him as he just came from the water-type team. Pikachu climbed up on his shoulder and could see the excited look in his eyes. He took that as a good sign that Buizel, Corphish, Totodile and Kingler were all doing well with their training. He scratched Pikachu on his head and made his way over to Donphan, Gabite, Tauros, Muk and Snorlax. He paired the four of them together since it would give them all a good workout. Ash wanted to test the fortitude of Gabite, Snorlax and Muk by having them brace against Donphan and Tauros's charging.

Ash crossed his arms as he saw Donphan and Tauros preparing to charge again. This time, Snorlax and Muk traded places to test their defensive capabilities. Snorlax had his thick fat that absorbed a lot of the hit and he was able to hold his ground against Tauros' Take Down with ease. Snorlax even went so far as to push Tauros back just using his stomach. Now it was time to see how Muk measured up against the attack.

"Alright, Gabite, Muk, let's see what you got!" Ash said as he signaled Tauros and Donphan to attack again.

Donphan curled up in a ball and began to roll at Gabite with even more strength than before. Tauros stomped his front heels and lowered his head as he charged at Muk. From what Ash could see, neither Muk nor Gabite showed fear as they saw the attacks coming at them. Just as Tauros and Donphan were within striking distance, Muk and Gabite made their move. Gabite raised his arms and planted his feet firmly into the ground to brace for the attack while Muk swelled up in size to form a solid wall. Tauros collided into Muk and managed to push him back slightly but was otherwise stopped in his tracks. Gabite stopped Donphan's Rollout entirely by gripping both of his horns. Gabite gave a mighty heave and threw Donphan back and he rolled back to his starting area.

"Excellent job you four," Ash beamed as he looked at them. "Why don't you all take a short break? You look pretty winded."

The five pokémon all nodded and instantly plopped down to recover their energy so they can get ready to go again shortly. Ash then made his way to his last two pokémon, Heracross and Glailie. He paired both of them together so they could work on their type disadvantage by building resistance. His eyes fell on the pair of them and he could see Glailie beginning to encase Heracross in a block of ice with Ice Beam. Ash and Pikachu watched intently as Heracross became completely covered in ice and waited to see if he could break out.

"Get ready to use Iron Tail if he can't break out," Ash whispered to Pikachu.

"Pi," Pikachu said with a nod.

Seconds ticked by and the block of ice began to crack as Heracross began to struggle his way out. The ice block cracked open and Heracross's arm stopped glowing after the Focus Punch broke him free. Ash was fairly surprised that Heracross broke out in a short amount of time given the fact it was near impossible to break out of the freeze status. Glailie was smiling broadly at Heracross as he walked out of the split ice and shook the cold off. Now it was Glailie's turn to take a hit for the exercise. Glailie nodded to show he was ready and Heracross lunged at him with his arm glowing white for Focus Punch. Wham! The punch hit Glailie with tremendous force and sent him sailing back, but Ash was surprised once gain to see that Glailie recovered quickly from the brutal attack and felt a smirk spread across his face.

"You two are coming along great!" Ash said with a grin. "I'm impressed you both did as well as you did, given the type advantage you both have. Keep up the good work."

Thunder rumbled overhead and rain began to pour down but they all continued their training. As the storm got closer it became stronger and Ash had to call it quits to allow his pokémon to seek shelter until the inclement weather passed. He hurried back inside the lab and was soaked to the bone from the torrential downpour.

* * *

Ash gave a shiver as the air conditioning met him and he gave a sneeze. The sneeze attracted the attention of Professor Oak who was coming around the corner observing a file. He noticed Ash and a look of concern appeared on his face.

"Ash, are you okay? You look really cold," Oak said as he walked up to him.

"I'm fine, professor. I just have to dry off and wait for the rain to stop before I can go back to training again.

Oak nodded and set the file down on the table before heading over to a cabinet. He fished out a large towel and handed it to Ash who gave muffled thanks as he dried his face off. Oak sat down at the table and resumed his reading on the file he was holding moments ago.

"So how's the training coming along, Ash?" Oak asked as he looked at him.

"Great," Ash replied as he sat down at the table. "It's only been a couple of days, but I can see that they're really improving."

"That's good to hear. I have to give you credit for your determination to train in bad weather like this."

"Thanks."

Ash took off his hat and ran his hands through his hair to shake off the excess water and then began to dry it. His eyes fell on the file Oak was reading and his curiosity got the better of him.

"What are you reading?" Ash asked.

"Oh, Gary finished his thesis and he wants me to review it," Oak replied rubbing his eyes.

"You look tired."

"I got up early to continue reading this. I stopped reading last night at page forty."

"Oh man, you're just running on fumes then."

"Not entirely, I had a jumbo cup of espresso before starting again and it woke me right up."

Ash gave a grunt in reply as he leaned back and rubbed his eyes. Footsteps garnered the attention of both Ash and Oak and they turned to see who entered the room. Tracy and Gary entered the room conversing about another matter and noticed the other occupants.

"Hey Grandpa, Ash, how's it going?" Gary asked as he took a seat at the table.

"Pretty well, I was just doing some training and getting ready for the tournament next week," Ash replied as he scratched Pikachu's head.

"Yeah, I saw you working when I woke up earlier this morning."

"Hey Ash, I'm going to feed the pokémon," Tracy interjected. "Do you have any preferences on what you want me to give them for lunch?"

"Actually I would appreciate it if you could give them some poffins as treats," Ash said looking at him.

"Alright, I can do that."

Tracy made his way down the stairs over by the door and vanished from sight. Gary glanced at his thesis as Oak looked through it. He saw no markings in it at all so he relaxed a little bit. He wanted to make his thesis as legitimate as possible, so anything as trivial as grammatical errors and holes in his thesis was unacceptable to him. All the research and evidence he gave granted him a guaranteed high grade but he just wanted his grandfather's approval before submitting it.

As the three of them sat in silence, Ash remembered what Red told him last night. He could use the downtime that they had with the storm to find out who "The Original One," was. Now Ash was thinking of how he could phrase the question without telling them about Red since he knew it would make him look goofy and he wanted to avoid that. He was so concentrated on his thoughts that he failed to notice he gathered the attention of both Gary and Professor Oak with his body language.

"What's wrong, Ashy-boy?" Gary asked.

"Huh?" Ash asked in surprise as he looked up.

"You looked distant just a second ago. Is something wrong?" Oak asked as he set down the paper.

"Oh, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking about a dream I had last night."

"What about?" Gary asked.

Ash finally thought about how to ask his question and decided to do so. While he felt bad about lying, he just wanted to avoid talking about Red which would only add on to the list of things Ash had to do.

"I had this dream last night," Ash began as he leaned forward. "I was just surrounded by darkness and there was this voice talking to me."

"Sounds pretty dark," Gary said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Anyway, when I was standing in that darkness, this voice started talking to me."

Oak was now interested in the story and set down Gary's thesis to listen about Ash's dream.

"What did the voice say?" Oak asked.

"I can't remember exactly what he said," Ash replied as he rubbed his eyes.

"You can't even remember you own dream?" Gary asked with a chuckle. "That's pretty sad, Ashy-boy."

"Like I was saying, I was talking to this voice but before I woke up he called himself "The Original One," whatever that means."

Oak choked on his coffee when Ash said that and Gary's teasing look was replaced with one of shock. Judging by the looks he got, Ash was able to tell that Red's hunch was correct that both of them knew who The Original One was. After he finished his coughing fit, Oak cupped his chin as he processed Ash's words.

"The Original One, huh?" Oak asked. "That's fascinating."

"No kidding," Gary agreed as he looked at Ash. "Are you sure that's what the voice said?"

"Yeah, why?" Ash replied. "I don't see what the big deal is. Who is this guy?"

"The Original One is not a guy per se, but a being. How can you not know that?"

"Well excuse me, professor."

Ash crossed his arms and rolled his eyes at Gary's teasing prod at his intelligence. Gary smirked and folded his hands in front of him.

"So he's some type of being?" Ash inquired.

"Yeah, hold on a minute. I'll go get some books to show you," Gary said as he got up to find his books.

Ash was grateful that both Gary and Oak knew who he was talking about so they could inform him of what this being was supposed to be. He had a feeling he was in for a lot of reading and lectures which made him groan inwardly as he realized he set himself up to be informed of pertinent information that would most likely go in one ear and out the other. Pikachu gave a giggle when he saw that Ash was now disgruntled at signing himself up for a long day. Ash sent him an annoyed glare and sighed as he waited for Gary to return.

Gary came back moments later carrying three large books which almost made Ash slap his forehead in frustration. He picked up the first book on his stack and glanced at the title before nodding and opening it up to find the page he was looking for. While Gary was searching for the section, Ash glanced at the title of the book. It quickly got his attention when he read it. _"Legendary Pokémon: The Elements of Earth's Balance."_

_"Wait, this thing is a pokémon?"_ Ash thought with surprise.

"Here we are, Ashy-boy," Gary said as he found the page and showed it to Ash, "this is the thing you're talking about."

Ash took the book from Gary and flipped it over to see what was on the page. On top of the page was a majestic portrait of a creature that appeared to exude omnipotent power. The creature itself looked like one of those mythical centaur creatures from a fairytale. The creature's body was a mix of a grey and white color that ran in a peculiar pattern under its mane and tail. The creature had golden colored hooves and a golden streak on top of its head. The most outstanding feature on the creature was the golden cross like wheel that went around its abdomen. After taking in the appearance of the pokémon that was on the page, Ash read down a little further.

"Arceus," Ash muttered. "The Original One is Arceus."

"Yep," Gary nodded as he leaned on the table, "does that help you?"

"This will work fine," Ash nodded, "I don't suppose I can borrow it for the day?"

"Go ahead. Just make sure you give it back by tomorrow since I may have to make some adjustments to my paper."

Ash nodded and marked the page in the book for future reference. He stood up and looked outside and frowned. The weather was getting no better and lightning was flashing all over the place. Now that Ash's training day was ruined, he decided to call it an early day and head back home to relax and read. Looking down at Pikachu he motioned for him to hop on and his partner complied.

"Leaving so soon, Ash?" Oak asked.

"Yeah, I've been here for a few hours now and the weather looks like it'll go on for the rest of the day, so I'm calling it early," Ash replied with a sigh.

"Alright, I suppose I'll see you tomorrow. Take it easy and tell your mother that I said hello."

"I'll be sure to do that, professor. See you tomorrow!"

* * *

Ash departed the laboratory and into the downpour. Thunder rumbled and blinding lightning flashed across the sky. Ash tucked the book under his shirt to protect it from the rain and started to run back to his house. By the time he got back, he was soaked to the bone and covered in mud and leaves that had splashed and blown into him. He opened the front door and slammed it shut and was just about to walk down the hall before a voice stopped him.

"Ash Ketchum, I just cleaned this house and so help me if you track mud through here, I will not be in a good mood!" Delia called out from the kitchen.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Ash said as he took his shoes off and set them on the mat.

If there was one thing that Ash feared, it was his mother when she was angry. He had seen her angry a fair amount of times growing up and it was never a pleasant sight to behold. Delia came into the hall holding a large towel and she shook her head with a sigh as she observed him.

"You can't stay clean, can you?" Delia asked as she folded her arms.

"Nope, sorry Mom," Ash said as he took the towel from her.

Ash dried himself off and scrubbed off the excess mud from his skin. He pulled the book out from under his shirt and was relieved that it was barely wet. Delia saw the book and was now interested in what her son was planning to read.

"What's that book you got there?" Delia asked.

"Gary lent it to me so I can read it," Ash replied as he opened the book. "It's a book about legendary pokémon."

"I see. It's a little strange to see you studying about something like that, but whatever gathers your interest."

Ash nodded and made his way upstairs to change his clothes. As he climbed the stairs he started reading the passages in the book. The chapter about Arceus contained fifty pages alone and Ash knew he was in for a long day of reading if he wanted to be prepared to discuss this with Red. Ash changed his clothes and plopped down in the bean bag chair he had and resumed his reading.

The chapter on Arceus had intrigued Ash greatly. He didn't know how long he had been reading for but it didn't matter since the information he was receiving was very knowledgeable. Ash discovered a great deal about Arceus on every page. According to the book, Arceus is thought to have created the Sinnoh region and possibly the entire world. He's also believed to have created the lake guardians that he had the luxury of meeting, Uxie, Azelf and Mesprit. It also created the creation trio, Dialga, Palkia and Giratina. The book also believed that Arceus had the power to recreate the creation trio should anything happen to them and if that was true, it's possible it could go for all pokémon.

_"This is really cool,"_ Ash thought as he turned to the next page, _"so is Red trying to tell me Arceus has us connected somehow?"_

Ash's eyes kept on reading through page after page and he now could recite everything in the chapter about Arceus. Yet he was still confused as to how Arceus was able to connect him and Red in his dreams. He closed the book after finishing the chapter and rubbed his tired eyes. Glancing at the clock he could see it was midafternoon and his stomach gave a familiar growl in hunger. Standing up, he gave a stretch and started to make his way downstairs with Pikachu close behind.

"Let's see what Mom has for lunch, buddy," Ash said as he descended the stairs.

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.

* * *

The Unova region was known for its large cities and a prodigious school that produced competent pokémon trainers in Aspertia City. While most students from any academy that trains them to be the best tend to be arrogant snobs, there were a few that managed to keep a level head. One of those few was a young man named Ryuu Sinclair.

Ryuu Sinclair was a fairly tall boy standing at six foot one. He had lightly tanned skin, a slim yet muscular physique, messy black hair that went down his shoulders that had some strands sticking up on top, a tuft obscured most of his forehead and he had greyish blue eyes. He was wearing a white shirt under a dark blue zip up vest that had a black Poké Ball print on the back, baggy blue denim jeans that were being held up by a blue belt, black wristbands and black sneakers.

Ryuu had been going around taking various photographs with his camera as it happened to be his biggest passion that took priority over battles. Although he never let his profession deter him from keeping his pokémon up to date with their training. He was on his way home earlier but ended up getting pulled into a battle that he had no desire to participate in, but he wanted the trainer to leave him alone, so he decided to humor him. The battle had been going on for some time now and Ryuu was growing bored with it.

So far his opponent had used a strategy involving hail and it was not having much of an effect on Ryuu or his Riolu. His opponent's Froslass had been using Hail as a maneuver trick to hit Riolu and to take advantage of its snow cloak ability. His opponent was a young man named Jason Phoenix. Jason was a little shorter than Ryuu standing at six feet tall. Jason had visible muscle, a dark complexion, a bald faded type of haircut and a small phoenix tattoo on his neck. Ryuu wasn't too fond of Jason at this time since he was coming off as overconfident which was something that annoyed him. Shaking his head, he planned on wrapping up his battle within the next three moves.

"It seems as though I'll be the winner," Jason said with a cocky smirk. "Your Riolu hasn't landed so much of a hit on Froslass."

"A little early to be making such a bold statement, don't you think?" Ryuu replied.

"Ha! I've got nothing to worry about. As far as I'm concerned, Hail has been proving to be an excellent obstacle for Riolu to the point I've scored some decent hits on him. One more should do the trick."

"Overconfidence will be your downfall. So I will wrap this up in three moves."

"Bring it on!"

Ryuu glanced down at Riolu and met his eyes and received a nod in return. He nodded back and prepared to finish the battle.

"Riolu, use Swords Dance," Ryuu said as he kept his eyes on Froslass.

"Froslass, use Ice Beam!" Jason ordered.

Riolu had transparent swords appear around him before twirling and vanishing. His body glowed red for a brief moment as he absorbed the power. Froslass glided at Riolu and a light blue ball began to form in its hands. Ryuu watched closely and made the call just before Froslass was upon Riolu.

"Alright Riolu, use Agility," Ryuu said as he mentally counted the second move.

Riolu suddenly vanished and appeared to Froslass's side. Froslass's attack missed and it turned to try and hit Riolu again, only to be met with the same result. Riolu was appearing and vanishing too quickly for Froslass to keep up and hit him. It got to the point that Froslass had to stop and take a couple of deep breaths in order to recuperate. Ryuu took his opening and gave his final attack.

"Riolu, end it with Drain Punch," Ryuu said as he kept his eyes focused on Froslass.

Riolu jumped directly behind Froslass and brought his tiny paw back to make it into a fist. His arm was glowing green and it had yellow streaks surrounding it in a spiral motion. He drove his fist into Froslass's back as hard as he could and sent Frosslass straight to the ground. The damage that Froslass took caused the hail to dissipate and the clearing that they were battling in was finally illuminated by warm sunlight. Riolu's bruises appeared to have vanished after the last attack after he absorbed Froslass's energy from Drain Punch.

"Good job, Riolu." Ryuu nodded.

Riolu walked back to Ryuu and stopped at his feet to look back at Jason. Ryuu, too, looked at Jason who looked completely shocked at the turn of events. It looked as though he could not comprehend that fact he lost the battle. Jason's fists clenched as he looked at his unconscious Froslass.

"How could it be?" Jason asked himself. "My ice technique was beaten?"

"You seem surprised," Ryuu said as he crossed his arms, "do you want to know why you lost?"

"You got lucky!"

"Pathetic answer for something that was your fault."

"What are you talking about?"

"Besides your overconfidence, you seem to have forgotten something about your opponent."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?"

"You did use Hail effectively to increase your Froslass's attack and an additional evasive move, but you forgot to take into account your opponent's pokémon and type."

"Your Riolu had no moves to counter back Hail!"

"You're right, he didn't. But you neglected to take into account Riolu's additional power for being able to use aura."

Jason fell silent and his widened eyes narrowed in anger and frustration. He forgot about Riolu's ability to locate a presence by using its aura powers and that in turn cost him the battle. He gave a growl as he returned Froslass to her Poké Ball and Ryuu returned Riolu to his. He pocketed the ball away and looked back at Jason.

"I thank you for the match, but I must get going," Ryuu said with a small bow, "take what I said to mind and improve your strategy a little bit."

"My strategy is fine the way it is," Jason sneered back. "I don't need someone like you acting like a condescending know-it-all."

"I'm not being condescending. I'm just trying to give advice to help you improve as a trainer."

"Well I don't need to improve as a trainer in the eyes of the Pokémon League because they invited me to participate in the Pokémon World Tournament taking place next week!"

Jason held up a letter to show Ryuu before pocketing it again. Ryuu gave a small grunt in acknowledgement. He reached into his pocket and touched the letter that he received in the mail earlier that day.

"Interesting," Ryuu said with a nod. "I guess we may be seeing each other again sooner than I thought."

Ryuu pulled out his letter and presented it to Jason who looked a little ticked off at seeing it. A smirk spread across Jason's face as he looked Ryuu in the eye.

"Well when we face each other again, I'll mop the floor with you," Jason said crossing his arms.

"Looking forward to it," Ryuu said, rolling his eyes as he started walking off.

If Jason said anything after Ryuu turned around, he didn't hear it. He finished the battle and had no desire to stay and chat when there was still enough sunlight out to get some more pictures. Thumbing the camera that was in his pocket, he started to look around for any interesting shots to take.

"Let's see what other spectacular things I can find," Ryuu said as he pulled out his camera.

* * *

**Well that's the chapter and I hope you all enjoyed it. I know some of you are probably questioning my ability to pull off how Arceus will play as a role in Ash and Red's connection, but I ask that you have confidence in me. This was something I thought about doing in chapter two, but I had no freaking clue how I would make it work. I had time to plot this out and I feel it is legit. Now, I will be wrapping up the pre-tournament arc soon, so that means I have to choose the last OCs. (I'm sure I'll probably piss people off for not choosing theirs, but I did inform them numerous times that I only chose OCs that I felt would make good characters for the readers to enjoy. I am using all OCs as additional opponents and arc characters).**

**OC Info: TheLeadBrick, I'm sorry if this makes you mad, but I found a better purpose for Leonard as an arc character that will be in througout the story. So I'm sorry for changing him out of support and I ask that you don't get mad because this decision process has been difficult.**

**OCs Introduced: Ryuu Sinclair (Tendou Souji) and Jason Phoenix (Trentavious Phoenix)**

**Support OCs:**

**1.) Ryuu Sinclair (Tendou Souji)**

**2.) Danny McBride (HP-DG-SB-HA-RR-KB-NT-TD-LL-LJ) **

**3.)**

**4.) Yue Wang (Bluemagesfairytail)**

**5.) Claire Atwood (Gentle Blossom)**

**6.) **

**Hate Mail Time!:**

**Okay, so I don't know how many of you know this/these guy (s), but I got one review that I received on chapter four that I felt I should share with you because I enjoyed how this guy got all aggro over how I write my story since apparently I don't live up to his standards. It was an added plus that he was completely wrong with everything he said since I'm currently seeing this guy as a HATER (Having Anger Towards Everybody Reaching Success). Enjoy the mail below!**

**Review from (Slicerness) received on 3/17/13**

**Review done by proxy for Jordinio (because he's a lazy bitch):**  
**Sorry, but I just don't like your writing style. ****Your characters are very dry and bland. The way you make Ash battle, it's rather annoying because he's fucking weak as shit, the canon Ash from Sinnoh would stomp a mud-hole in your Ash. I saw no inventive strategies, counter-shield or the spinning dodge technique. ****Really, you had Ash call an attack and then wait for his opponent to attack back, he didn't follow through on anything, he basically stood there like a fucking neanderthal and let himself be beaten. But then again, I guess I'm an idiot for expecting something decent from an inbred hick like yourself. ****All in all, this story is a failure so far.**

**My response: Thank you! You have a marvelous day! By the way, an inbred hick? Come on, I've heard better insults from my drill sergeants.**

**Points:**

**1.) Pokemon Nicknames: I forgot to bring this up in the last chapter's author note. Pokemon nicknames will only be used if two or more of the same pokemon are in a battle and scene. If I bring the nicknames in too early, people will get confused as hell with it and have trouble keeping track, so I'm keeping it simple and saving the headache.**

**2.) I brought up combination moves not being used in the battles. I plan on having that stick, however, since Ash has unorthodox attacks that are combined together, I will only allow him to do it.**

**Story Shoutouts:**

**"Unova Eclipse: Bringer of Change" by bluemagesfairytail**

**Fey didn't want this to happen. Not again. Now they're seventeen, and brought together again. But this time, instead of Galactic, Plasma lurks, and a traitor surfaces. New faces, new chances, new possibilities. But it's hard to believe one of them has the intent to sabotage them all.**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**

******"Time of Courage" by FiammaJoule: **

******When there's nowhere left to run, where do you go? When the government is after you and everyone appears to be your enemy, who do you turn to? Not your friends and not your family. After all is said and done, you only have each other and your Pokemon. It's time to step up and steel your courage if you want to survive.**

******"Thieves of Ordia" by FallingSunset**

******Steampunk AU. Ordia: a region full of marvelous inventions and booming with all sorts of Pokemon. Erin begins her journey in the industrious city of Ironstead. Soon she finds out that all is not right in Ordia as thieves have been showing up everywhere, stealing Legendary Pokemon and causing chaos to the world. Can Erin and defeat the league and the thieves?**

**"Red Steel Travels" by An Anon Fellow**

**A new Trainers sets out to do what they all dream. Become the best Trainer there is. But is all as it seems?**


	10. Family

**Hello all my fellow readers, I'm here with another update for the story. I hope you're all having a good Easter holiday and spending time with your family. At this time I would like to thank you all for your continued support with my story now having 11,024 hits, 83 favs, 86 alerts, 1 C2 and 142 reviews. You guys are awesome and I thank you for all the support you've given the story, so I'm here with an Easter holiday update. I took a break from Ash this chapter to shine some light on the main support OCs just in case you've all been wondering when they'll be seen again. I have chosen the final male support OC who will be shown at the end of the chapter here. By the way, I received a couple reviews last chapter about Riolu not having the ability to defeat Froslass being a ghost type as well. Now while that's true, bear in mind that I only showed the tail end of the fight and Foresight could have been used earlier in the fight. Now, let's get on with the chapter!**

**Chapter Summary: The trainers who have been accepted into the Pokemon World Tournament decide to tell their families about their accomplishment.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Yue had taken it upon herself to get dinner ready for her mother to save her from doing additional work after her very busy day. As Yue was sautéing the chicken in the pan she was trying to decide how she should inform her mother of her accomplishment of being invited to participate in the Pokémon World Tournament. She was sure her mother would be proud of her and that's all that mattered. She considered telling her dad but her mood changed at the mere thought of him.

Yue's parents ended up getting a divorce a few years back and the custody issue took a lot out of her. Her father ended up getting custody of her brothers Bao and Hoshi and Yue decided to stay with her mother. To this day, Yue never had to make a more difficult choice in her life by choosing the parent she wanted to stay with. She had cried a lot of tears during the whole process and she never felt more torn in her life. Shaking her head, Yue took the skillet off the stove and placed the chicken on a plate before placing it on the counter. She grabbed two plates and filled it with chicken, vegetables and bread and set it on the table.

As Yue placed the plates at the table, she heard the door to the apartment open behind her. Turning around she saw her mother, Mei, enter looking exhausted. Yue gave her mother a big smile and walked over to help her with her things. She took the bags from her mother and placed them on the counter receiving a tired thank you in return.

"How was your day, Mother?" Yue asked walking back to the table.

"It was alright," Mei answered rubbing her tired eyes, "what about you? Did you get those things done that I asked you to do?"

"Yes, I did."

"That's good. Thank you for doing that, you helped me out by doing that."

Yue took a seat in her chair and was a little disappointed when the first thing her mother asked her about was the tasks she assigned her earlier that day. Dismissing the feeling, Yue touched the letter she received from the Pokémon League and pulled it out as her mother took a seat at the table. They ate their dinner in silence which was going to be broken by Yue's announcement with her admittance into the tournament.

"I received a letter in the mail today, aru," Yue said as she set down her fork and held the letter.

"Oh? What did it concern?" Mei asked sipping her water.

"I was invited to participate into the Pokémon World Tournament that starts on the 25th."

Yue handed her letter to her mother who took it and began reading it. Her tired eyes moved left to right and Yue was trying to contain her excitement as best as she could. She was waiting for the look of pride to appear on her mom's face, but it never came. Mei finished reading the letter and folded it up before handing it back to Yue. Yue took the letter and rested it beside her plate. Mei finished her water, stood up and made her way towards her room. She stopped beside Yue and gently patted her on the head before vanishing into her room. The door closed and Yue hung her head.

_"Nothing,"_ Yue thought, _"why can't she just say she's proud of me?"_

Yue hugged her knees to her chest as she sat there alone at the table. Her eyes fell on the letter again and she sighed to herself. No matter how hard she tried she could never get any vocal praise from either of her parents growing up and the only form of affection she would get for a job well done was a simple pat on the head like she received moments ago. Before her parents got a divorce, both of her parents were lacking in social skills and because of it, hers suffered as well. She was under the impression that her parents didn't really love her, only the pride she brought to the family name.

One thing Yue was very envious of was children with loving families that were very close with each other. When she confronted her parents on the whole ordeal they confessed that they did love her and her brothers very much, but their marital problems were hurting their social capabilities. Her parents were in an arranged marriage and neither of them were happy with it which resulted in the divorce.

"It's not fair, aru!" Yue muttered as she stood up.

Yue cleaned up the table and kitchen in silence as she tried to shake her mind free from the negative memories.

_"Maybe she was just too tired to say anything?"_ Yue thought as she placed the last dish in the dishwasher.

Yue grabbed the letter from the table and turned off the lights before making her way back to her room. The tournament was only a few days away and she needed to get down to some serious training to ensure her victory to make her mother proud.

"I'll win that tournament and then Mother will be proud of me, aru," Yue muttered as she climbed into bed.

* * *

Claire Atwood had woken up early that morning to do more training with her team for the Pokémon World Tournament. Ever since she received the letter, that's all she had been doing. Her schedule up until her departure for the tournament was to wake up, eat breakfast, train, eat lunch, train again, take a short break, and go to the battle club to keep her strategy sharp by battling other trainers, eat dinner and then go to bed. She was downstairs eating breakfast by the time her parents woke up and came down to eat as well. Both of them were a little surprised to see their daughter up early since she would usually sleep in until late morning after getting back late at night from the battle club.

"You're up early, Claire," said her mother, Susan.

"Yeah, what's with the sudden change?" Her father Alex asked as he grabbed a coffee mug.

"I'm training for the tournament coming up on the 25th," Claire replied before gulping down her orange juice.

Her parents exchanged looks of confusion before looking back at Claire for further clarification.

"What tournament?" Alex asked as he sat down at the table, unrolling the newspaper.

"Oh yeah, I didn't show you the letter I got the other day, did I?" Claire replied sheepishly rubbing the back of her head.

"Nope, you never told us about a letter you got in the mail," Susan answered as she started cooking some breakfast.

"Well, here's the letter I got from the Pokémon League," Claire said as she slid the letter to Alex.

Alex set down his paper and unfolded the letter that Claire handed him. Susan walked over and began reading the letter over Alex's shoulder while the stove heated up. Their eyes scanned the letter and widened in surprise as they read it word for word.

_Dear Ms. Atwood,_

_I would like to extend an offer to you that is only presented to the most prestigious of pokémon trainers in the eyes of the Pokémon League. There is a tournament that takes place during the summer shortly after the Pokémon Leagues of each region come to a close. The Pokémon World Tournament takes place from late May until mid-August and it will be held at the Indigo Plateau this year. If you wish to partake in this event, please arrive at the Indigo Plateau no later than May 25th to register. I truly hope to see you there, Ms. Atwood._

_Sincerely, Charles Goodshow_

Claire was happy to see the surprised looks on her parents faces turn to ones of pride. Alex slid the letter back to Claire with a large smile on his face. Susan was beaming broadly as she looked at her only daughter.

"That's wonderful news, Claire!" Susan said as she walked back to the stove.

"I'll say," Alex agreed with a nod as he picked up his paper again, "not even Nathaniel was given the chance to participate in this tournament."

Claire was the only daughter to Alex and Susan and the third oldest out of all of their kids. Nathaniel was her eldest brother, Matthew was the second oldest and Tony was the youngest. Both Claire and Nathaniel were the trainers while Matthew was a coordinator and Tony was currently a breeder in training. Claire felt accomplished when she heard that she beat Nathaniel in being allowed to enter a tournament that not even he had the luxury of entering and that alone made her realize that she surpassed him.

_"Nathaniel, even though you are older than me and always beat me in our battles, I think I can safely say that I have bested you as a trainer,"_ Claire thought with a smirk as she stood up, "I'll be back later. I'm going to continue my training."

"Alright Claire, I'll leave some money out for you to order some dinner tonight," Susan said waving goodbye.

"Thanks Mom. I'll see you both later!"

Claire excused herself form the table and went to the front door to put on her shoes and hat. She quickly put on her gloves and left the house to head to the fields and do some training. As her legs carried her down the road, her mind drifted to the battle she had with Jake the other night. Her fists clenched in frustration at the thought of the loss she had. Deep down she was hoping that Jake would be at the battle club that night so she could challenge him to a rematch and win.

_"I hope you're ready for our rematch, Jake,"_ Claire thought as she looked at the sky, _"I will win our next battle. Count on it!"_

* * *

Danny and Lucario were standing in the cemetery just on the edge of Celestic Town. Neither of them said a word to each other since they were paying their respects. They were standing in front of a large headstone that had two names on it that were almost illegible due to the marker weathering over the past years. The two of them had been standing there for almost half an hour and Lucario was beginning to grow a little worried for Danny. Whenever they stood at the grave, they never stayed long but this time they had been there longer than normal. Lucario glanced at Danny out of the corner of his eye and could see a distant look in his master's eyes.

_"Danny, what's troubling you?"_ Lucario asked through the telepathic link, _"you usually never stay here this long."_

"I know, Lucario," Danny replied with a sigh, "I've just been thinking about them lately."

Danny's eyes never left the name on the tombstone which read McBride. He never did spend a lot of time at his parents' grave whenever he visited but his memories of them had been surfacing a lot recently and he felt the need to go and pay them a visit. Danny remembered the accident that claimed his parents' lives clearly as if it happened yesterday.

_"We should get going if we want to continue our training,"_ Lucario said as he turned on his heel.

"Do you think they'd be proud of me if they were still alive?" Danny asked kneeling in front of the grave.

_"Of course they would. I can't imagine why they wouldn't be proud of everything you've accomplished as a trainer."_

Danny gave a mumbled response as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the letter he received from Charles Goodshow about the Pokémon World Tournament. He unfolded the letter and looked at it before looking back up at the grave.

"Hey Mom, Dad, I'm sorry it's been a while since my last visit. I've been busy as a trainer by training myself and my pokémon to become the best," Danny said with a light laugh, "I actually got an invitation to participate in the Pokémon World Tournament and it's only given to the most prestigious trainers."

Danny returned his gaze to the letter and read it word for word to the grave. Lucario crossed his arms and closed his eyes to meditate as he waited for Danny to finish his business. When Danny finished reading the letter he folded it back up and tucked it away in his vest.

"I know you can't answer me, but I just want to know something," Danny continued, "are you proud of the things I've done in my life so far?"

The wind picked up a little bit and created a gentle breeze throughout the graveyard. Strangely, the breeze felt warm and comforting instead of the usual cool. Danny closed his eyes as the breeze hit him and his cape gave a flutter. When the wind died, Danny opened his eyes again and a smile worked its way across his face.

"Thank you," Danny said as he bowed to the grave. "I promise that I'll win this tournament and make you even more proud."

Danny turned on his heel and began to depart the cemetery with Lucario by his side. The silence between them was broken when Lucario spoke again.

_"Are you ready to train some more?"_

"Yeah, let's get to work!" Danny said with a nod.

Danny and Lucario ran out of the memorial yard and continued their run to the woods. As they ran side by side, Danny glanced at Lucario from the corner of his eye. Even though his parents were gone, he still had his pokémon by his side. His pokémon were his family and that was perfectly fine with him.

* * *

Ryuu was sitting at his computer that sat right outside the darkroom he had inside his apartment. He was in the process of uploading the photos that he took with his camera earlier that day before he was interrupted by Jason Phoenix. Ryuu was irritated that he lost precious time to take photos of more specimens because of the pointless battle. In all honesty, Ryuu did enjoy battling, but it was more of a side hobby outside of his passion as a photographer. He found that battling with unfamiliar trainers without taking the time to develop a friendship with them was pointless. It was always more interesting to battle a friend in his mind because then he could always expect an excellent performance each time he battled a friend. However when it came to random trainers, he found them to be too predictable and dissatisfying.

_"I truly hope I don't battle Jason again,"_ Ryuu thought as he started to compose an email, _"I need a bigger challenge and trainers like Jason just can't provide me that luxury."_

Ryuu knew that he was going to face a lot of trainers at the Pokémon World Tournament and each of them would vary in strength compared to him. He decided to try and form some new acquaintances while at the tournament to make it more appealing for him otherwise it would be very dull and a waste of his time. His fingers continued to give gentle strokes to the keyboard as he typed the email. While he was typing, his mind drifted off to the battle he had earlier with Jason.

_/Flashback/_

_Ryuu and his Riolu were just barely a minute into their battle against Jason and his Froslass. So far Ryuu was highly disappointed with everything he had seen. He had been able to predict Jason's strategy the moment Froslass entered the field and their battle was getting nowhere. Ryuu had been on the defensive for the fight, but it was mainly to be sure that the strategy Jason was using was consistent. He had his next move ready to go and was now ready to seal his victory._

_"I figured you'd be more of a challenge, but I have yet to see anything offensive on your end," Jason taunted with a smirk._

_"I would suggest that you don't get cocky," Ryuu advised, "the minute you get cocky, it will come back to haunt you fairly quick."_

_"Whatever. As far as I'm concerned, your Riolu can't hit me due to the type disadvantage. Besides, he already looks a little winded from dodging Froslass' attacks."_

_While Jason was talking, Ryuu decided to get a quick attack in while he was distracted. Not only would it prove his point about being cocky, it would also help him secure his victory early._

_"Riolu, use Foresight!" Ryuu said quickly._

_Riolu's eyes snapped open and they began to glow red. Red beams of light shot forth from Riolu's eyes and managed to land on Froslass as it appeared in front of Riolu to use Ice Beam. Ryuu nodded in satisfaction at the successful attack and was enjoying the surprised look on Jason's face. Riolu jumped to the side and avoided the Ice Beam attack and kept a sharp glare on Froslass._

_"Tch, lucky shot," Jason scoffed as he glared at Riolu._

_"I told you not to get cocky," Ryuu said shaking his head. "Now let's wrap this up."_

_/Flashback end/_

Ryuu rubbed his tired eyes as he leaned back in his chair to read through the email once more. The email itself was something that he didn't want to write, but decided to do so in order to kill two birds with one stone. The email was addressed to his parents whom he had an estranged relationship with because of what they did to him as a child. He would type up a monthly email to them and always delete it once it was complete. He took it one step further by telling them he was admitted into the Pokémon World Tournament and telling them he declined the invitation. It was a downright lie that he told them about not participating, but anything that could possibly get a surprised response from his parents was good enough for him.

"Let's see how this sits with them," Ryuu muttered with a little cackle.

Instead of deleting the letter, he sent the email to his parents out of spite. He stood up and walked to his room with Riolu jumping on to his shoulders. The sooner he got to bed, the earlier he could wake up to continue taking photographs.

* * *

The late night city lights of Cerulean City had grown old for the young man. One would have to do a double take when looking at the teen. He stood at a tall six foot three and his entire form was a solid wall of well-formed muscle, undoubtedly from doing countless hours of hard work. His hair was black and in a very spiky mess, his eyes were a rich emerald and his skin was tan from working long days in the fields. The young man was none other than William Mercurious.

William was currently entering the house he and his parents moved into years back after their family farm on the outskirts of Fuchsia City was closed down because of financial issues. If there was one thing that William disliked, it was being cooped up in the city. He was a farm boy at heart and he craved being in wide open spaces. Outside of being a trainer, being a farmer was William's biggest passion. The main reason he become a pokémon trainer in the first place was to earn prize money from tournaments and save it in order to buy his family's farm back. So far his latest accomplishment did get him a fair amount of money but he was still short ten thousand dollars.

Sighing to himself, William plopped down in a chair in the kitchen. A pile of envelopes sat untouched on the table that was addressed to him. William picked up the remote that was on the table and turned the TV on and switched it to the Pokémon Battle Network. As the television station came back from break, William began reading his mail. He found himself moving through each envelope fast than the last as each one was nothing but advertisements or junk. When he came upon the last envelope, he stopped as his eyes fell upon the familiar emblem for the Pokémon League. William's face scrunched up in curiosity as he opened the cover and fished the letter out. He was now intrigued with what the Pokémon League had to ask him. As his eyes moved from left to right, they grew wider and wider.

_Dear Mr. Mercurious,_

_I would like to extend an offer to you that is only presented to the most prestigious of pokémon trainers in the eyes of the Pokémon League. There is a tournament that takes place during the summer shortly after the Pokémon Leagues of each region come to a close. The Pokémon World Tournament takes place from late May until mid-August and it will be held at the Indigo Plateau this year. If you wish to partake in this event, please arrive at the Indigo Plateau no later than May 25th to register. I truly hope to see you there, Mr. Mercurious._

_Sincerely, Charles Goodshow_

Now William, like most pokémon trainers knew, knew that the Pokémon World Tournament was one of the most prestigious competitions that could be presented to a trainer that was worthy of participating in it. He had experienced this moment only in his dreams and now that he was holding the letter that confirmed his invitation to the tournament, he was ecstatic. William had watched the Pokémon World Tournament whenever it was on during the summer on the Pokémon Battle Network and he was well aware of the handsome award it paid to its top trainers. This was the opportunity that he was waiting for and he was not going to let it slip through his fingers.

_"Even if I don't win the tournament, all I need to do is place in the top eight in order to get the money,"_ William thought as he folded the letter. _"With that money I can buy back the farm and we can leave this city and we can finally go home."_

William glanced at a picture that hung on the wall and smiled to himself. The photograph was a family portrait that was taken years back before his family moved to Cerulean City after losing the farm. He was a lot smaller back then compared to now. He was standing in between his parents who looked a lot younger too. Their hair was still its normal color instead of turning grey with age like it was now.

"I'll get us out of here," William said looking at the picture. "I promise."

* * *

The cool summer air was always a nice relaxing element to the farmers of Viridian County at the end of a long day. Derek always welcomed the night after a hard day's work. He could smell the aroma of fresh cut grass mixed in with the smoke of a burn pile a couple of farms away. Right now, Derek was lying on top of the barn roof looking up at the starry sky with Chief. He brought his cigar to his mouth and took a long drag before puffing out a stream of smoke. Derek wasn't one for smoking but he usually would smoke a cigar from time to time after having a bad experience or just to pass the time. He and Chief were both in a bitter mood from earlier.

Derek had challenged his father, Greg, when he got back home from work to a battle to test himself and see how far he had come since their last bout. Just like every other battle he had with his dad, Derek lost and it was becoming very old for him. Even though he had improved greatly as a trainer from each league he went to, his skill would pale in comparison when he fought his dad. He ran a hand through his hair and gave a heavy sigh before taking another drag of his cigar as he thought about the battle he had with his father.

_/Flashback/_

_The full battle had been going on for about ten minutes and Derek hardly made a dent in any of Greg's pokémon. He was on his last pokémon being Chief while Greg still had all six of his. Greg only used two of his pokémon being his Charizard and his Garchomp and they had made quick work with Derek's team. Right now Chief was on his last legs going against Charizard who, even though was at a type disadvantage, had taken minimal if not any damage. Derek was not willing to let Chief go down without at least attempting to take Charizard with him._

_"Chief, use Volt Tackle and hit him with everything you've got!" Derek yelled pointing at Charizard._

_Chief gave a loud battle cry as he started charging at Charizard and covered himself with crackling electricity. At this point, Derek was desperate to prove to his father that he was not weak and if displaying confidence in Chief's ability to land an attack that did damage to him as well was what it took, then he'd do it. Derek glanced up at his father who was standing on the opposite end of the field they were using and saw a neutral look on his face._

_"Not even a look of determination or excitement," Derek thought with a growl, "is he even trying right now? Show me something, Dad! Are you that disappointed with my abilities that you can't show any emotion?"_

_"Charizard, use Blast Burn," Greg said as he watched Pikachu getting closer._

_Charizard nodded and clenched his fists as he started to glow a dark red. The power that was building inside Charizard would end the battle if Chief didn't stop him with Volt Tackle. Chief's speed picked up as he was within striking distance and he jumped up high to collide with Charizard's stomach. As Chief was about to make contact, Charizard's eyes snapped open and he gave a ferocious roar as he unleashed the terrifying power that had stored inside of him. A blinding orange and red flash filled the area causing Derek to shield his eyes._

_A massive burst of fire emitted from Charizard's body creating a large dome around him that then shot high into the sky. The air pressure that came with the attack made the grass and trees blow violently. The attack itself engulfed both Charizard and Chief, leaving the outcome of the attack unknown. The fiery attack began to diminish and finally ended leaving the outcome to be seen. The area where Charizard and Chief intercepted each other was scorched beyond recognition and small flames still burned in the ash. Chief and Charizard were staring at one another with fierce determination to show that their fortitude had not wavered._

_Chief swayed and fell face first to the ground, defeated. Derek hurried out to his defeated partner and scooped him up gently in his arms. Chief's eyes slowly opened and he looked up at him with an apologetic look. Derek just smiled at his small friend and gently rubbed his head._

_"You did your best, buddy," Derek whispered._

_Greg returned Charizard to his Poké Ball after thanking him for his performance. He pocketed the ball and crossed his arms as he looked down at his son. He was impressed with his son's growth as a trainer since the last time they battled and he could tell that he was a lot stronger. Greg turned on his heel and began his trek back to the house._

_"So what do you think?" Derek called out._

_Derek watched as his dad stopped when he asked the question._

_"You've gotten stronger, Derek and I am proud of you," Greg replied looking over his shoulder, "keep training harder and you'll be able to fight me toe to toe."_

_Greg finished his sentence and then continued his trek back to the house leaving Derek to ponder his words._

_/Flashback End/_

Derek was broken from his thoughts when he heard two voices calling up to him from the ground. He sat up and looked over the edge to see his little sister, Alexa and his little brother, Connor, looking up at him.

"Derek, it's time to eat dinner!" Connor yelled.

"I'll be right down!" Derek replied extinguishing his cigar.

He stood up and Chief climbed up to his head so they could get off the roof. Derek jumped off the barn and landed a little roughly as he hit the ground. Giving a grunt, Derek stood up and smiled at Connor and Alexa.

"Derek, that's dangerous!" Alexa scolded.

"Oh no, you're not going to tell Mom are you?" Derek asked giving a little shake.

"Actually, we are!"

Alexa and Connor took off towards the house laughing. Derek waited for a few seconds before sprinting after his younger siblings. They got to the porch and opened the door still laughing but didn't realize how close Derek was behind them. Derek wrapped an arm around Connor and Alexa and hoisted them over his shoulders.

"No fair!" Alexa giggled.

"Let go of me!" Connor said pounding against Derek's back.

Derek laughed as he nudged the door open and carried them inside. Their laughter gathered the attention of their parents from the kitchen.

"Derek Marion Fiers, no wrestling in my house!" Jennifer hollered.

"Sorry Mom!" Derek replied as he looked at Connor and Alexa, "alright you little munchkins, let's get some food."

Derek carried the two of them into the kitchen and set them down. He adjusted his beanie and stood up cracking his back. While doing that, his eyes widened in surprise at the additional face that joined his family for dinner. Cynthia smiled at him and gave a small wave as a greeting.

"Long time no see, Derek," Cynthia said as she sat down.

"Hey Cynthia, what are you doing here?" Derek asked as he sat down beside her.

"I was at the Indigo Plateau today helping with preparations for the Pokémon World Tournament and I thought I'd drop by and visit since you did get accepted into the tournament," Cynthia replied, "you don't mind do you, Derek?"

Derek shook his head with a smile and took a bite of the vegetables on his plate. He did not mind in the slightest. One of his oldest friends was here with him and his family eating dinner and that brightened his day by a longshot.

"No, I don't mind," Derek replied, "I was about tell them that I did get invited to participate in the tournament."

He spared a glance at his family and saw that each of them had proud looks on their faces. Derek, however, wondered what his dad thought and looked at him. Even though it was quick, Derek saw a small smile on his father's face and that made him relax.

_"Good. He doesn't see me as a failure,"_ Derek thought with relief.

* * *

**That's the chapter everybody! I hope it gave you all a good insight on the characters that have been introduced so far. By the way, don't get used to seeing solid OC chapters like this a lot. Ash is the main character so he will have the most screentime over the OCs unless they are in the scene with him. I have yet to choose the last female OC and I will have that by the next update hopefully. Take a look at the OC info below for further information and take a look at the points and story shout outs I have at the end here. Happy Easter, and I'll see you all later. -CaptainPrice**

**OC Info: I have chosen the final male support OC after much debating, I chose between William Mercurious (ZachMercurious) and Carlos Del Grove(Carlos-sama). This wasn't easy and I apologize if some of you are mad about this, but I told you this was not an easy decision. Now like I said, I'm using ALL OCs that were submitted, but they'll mainly be used as arc characters or to fill up time with battles. **

**Support OCs:**

**1.) Ryuu Sinclair (Tendou Souji)**

**2.) Danny McBride (HP-DG-SB-HA-RR-KB-NT-TD-LL-LJ) **

**3.) William Mercurious (ZachMercurious)**

**4.) Yue Wang (Bluemagesfairytail)**

**5.) Claire Atwood (Gentle Blossom)**

**6.) **

**Battle Record: I decided to do this to show the battle record for Ash and the support OCs that have battled so far.**

**Wins/Losses/Draws (W/L/D)**

**Ash Ketchum: 3/1/0**

**Derek Fiers: 0/2/0**

**Ryuu Sinclair: 1/0/0**

**Claire Atwood: 0/1/0**

**Points:**

**1.) Pokemon Nicknames: I forgot to bring this up in the last chapter's author note. Pokemon nicknames will only be used if two or more of the same pokemon are in a battle and scene. If I bring the nicknames in too early, people will get confused as hell with it and have trouble keeping track, so I'm keeping it simple and saving the headache.**

**2.) To answer a question from Alpha B. A. 7: Has Ash met any of the creation trio in this story? Answer: Sort of. I went back to watch the anime, but the movies are completely separate from my story since they're technically not canon. So Ash has only seen Dialga and Palkia since they were canon in the anime with what happened on Mt. Coronet.**

**3.) If you're a metal/rock head like myself, you'd know that an awesome release came out on Tuesday. I'm talking about Sevendust and their new album "Black Out The Sun" that I've listened to over twenty times so far and I'm still listening to it as I type this. Check it out if you like metal.**

**Story Shoutouts:**

**"Unova Eclipse: Bringer of Change" by bluemagesfairytail**

**Fey didn't want this to happen. Not again. Now they're seventeen, and brought together again. But this time, instead of Galactic, Plasma lurks, and a traitor surfaces. New faces, new chances, new possibilities. But it's hard to believe one of them has the intent to sabotage them all.**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**

******"Time of Courage" by FiammaJoule: **

******When there's nowhere left to run, where do you go? When the government is after you and everyone appears to be your enemy, who do you turn to? Not your friends and not your family. After all is said and done, you only have each other and your Pokemon. It's time to step up and steel your courage if you want to survive.**

******"Thieves of Ordia" by FallingSunset**

******Steampunk AU. Ordia: a region full of marvelous inventions and booming with all sorts of Pokemon. Erin begins her journey in the industrious city of Ironstead. Soon she finds out that all is not right in Ordia as thieves have been showing up everywhere, stealing Legendary Pokemon and causing chaos to the world. Can Erin and defeat the league and the thieves?**

**"Red Steel Travels" by An Anon Fellow**

**A new Trainers sets out to do what they all dream. Become the best Trainer there is. But is all as it seems?**


	11. Two Sides of a Coin

**Hey all, I'm back with another update for Becoming the Master. I would like to thank you all for the continued support with my story now having 154 reviews, 87 favs, 91 alerts, 12,929 hits and 2 C2s. I hope you've been waiting for a new chapter as this one is another important one that is Red/Ash centric. It'll explain how Red and Ash are having their nightly meetings. I'll tell you now I spent a lot of time on this to make it seem logical and I believe I did a good job of it. If parts of it seem confusing, I would suggest reading it again or send me a PM if you have a question and I'll explain it to you. Read the chapter carefully because it may seem complicated. Now when Red talks about his past about him and "Blue" I corrected it to be Green since that's what his name really is. Stay tuned for the author's note at the end for an important announcement.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash and Red sit down and have a conversation that delves into their connection and how it is possible that they are meeting. **

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Ash was once again in the caverns where he had been meeting Red for training for almost a week. So far Ash had made decent progress into becoming the stronger trainer that Red had envisioned him to be and it would only get better as he progressed with the training. He carried out the task that Red asked him to look into and asked Gary and Professor Oak about the Original One who turned out to be none other than the mythical pokémon, Arceus. Ash learned a lot about Arceus when he read the book that Gary had lent him and was now ready to ask Red the questions that had been hovering in his mind for the past day.

"Okay, so the biggest thing about our connection has to revolve around the fact of space and time with Dialga and Palkia," Ash said as he sat down, "but how does that work?"

Ash sighed and rubbed his temples as he tried to relieve his headache that accompanied his deep thinking. He looked around the room and saw no sign of Red and was a little irritated with his tardiness that seemed to be growing with each visit. Was Red waiting for him to try something before showing up again? Ash shook his head and dismissed the thought and decided to wait for a few minutes before trying something else. As time ticked by, Red still had yet to appear and Ash was starting to become frustrated.

"Where the heck is he?" Ash muttered as he crossed his arms.

As if on cue, footsteps met his ears and he glanced to his left to see Red emerge from the shadows. Red raised an eyebrow at Ash's scowl and walked over to him, ignoring the heated stare. As he sat down, he looked at Ash and waited for him to say something. When Ash failed to speak, Red took the chance to start the conversation.

"So do you have anything you wish to ask me?" Red asked, staring his counterpart in the eyes, "if not, I'll leave and we can continue training tomorrow night."

"No, I've got a few questions for you," Ash replied as he relaxed a little bit, "first of all, why are you late?"

"I'm not just testing you when it comes to being a trainer, but also as an individual when it comes to your personality. So far I've determined that you are a confident person, but you are quite arrogant at times and a little impatient. Just something for you to keep in mind as you develop."

Ash fought the urge to counter Red's words but felt as though he would fail in doing so. He rolled his eyes and leaned back against the rock as he calmed down to ask him the questions he had.

"Now I'll ask you again. Do you have any questions about the Original One?" Red asked.

"No, I have a good grasp on Arceus and his connection with Dialga and Palkia," Ash replied, "what I don't understand is how he plays into this."

Red nodded and believed it was time to tell Ash about how they were connected. The whole concept itself was a little complex and it took Red some time to figure it out himself when he discovered the link between him and Ash. While complicated, he was sure Ash would be able to absorb the information with minimal difficulty since he was able to soak up information when it was pertinent to something he was interested in.

"Okay Ash, I'll tell you everything, but I have to ask you to pay close attention because this is important as well," Red said.

"I'm ready to listen," Ash replied with a nod.

"Good. Now before we get started, I have a question for you."

"Lay it on me."

"Do you remember what I told you a couple of nights ago about us being counterparts?"

"Yeah, I do. So I'm assuming this whole thing with Arceus, Dialga and Palkia plays in our connection?"

Red nodded and was a little impressed with Ash's perception.

"You're right," Red replied, "now let's get started."

Red began to tell Ash about his own personal journey as a pokémon trainer when he was younger. He told Ash about receiving Pikachu as his starter instead of obtaining one of the traditional starters. As it turns out, Red's first pokémon was supposed to be an Eevee but his rival literally took the Poké Ball containing it out of his hands when Professor Oak gave him permission to have it. His rival, Green, was the mirror image of Gary when Red described him, personality and appearance the whole nine yards. Red told Ash about his fierce rivalry with Green and that every time they had a battle, Red would prevail all the time. Although Green was always one step ahead of him, he always managed to top him with battles or achievements.

Ash was mentally making notes on where he and Red were similar to each other and they were practically the same, but the only difference was that Red succeeded with everything while Ash had his failures on his journey. Red continued his story about his journey and told Ash about his encounters with gym leaders and Team Rocket. Once again Ash was surprised with what he learned. Red had defeated every gym leader on his first try with little difficulty and he single handedly brought down the entire Team Rocket organization. After Red caused the disbandment of Team Rocket, he encountered their leader, Giovanni, one last time as he happened to be the Viridian City gym leader.

The battle ended with Red's victory and after that, Giovanni seemed to vanish off the face of the earth never to be seen or heard from again. Shortly after his battle with Giovanni, Red made his way to the Indigo League where he battled Green once again and defeated him. After that battle with Green, he discovered that Green was on his way to the Indigo Plateau to battle the Elite Four to become the champion. Red was eager to beat Green to become champion first, but that was not to be. Red had battled the Elite Four and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge they presented him to achieve his goal and when he defeated the final Elite Four member, Lance, he believed he succeeded in reaching his goal. Of course, just like countless times before, Green had beaten him to it and was already champion.

Red went on to face Green who had acquired the champion title after defeating the Elite Four. Their final battle was fierce with both sides exchanging hits and knockouts until they were down to their last pokémon. In the end, Red's Charizard had defeated Green's Blastoise, sealing his victory and dethroning Green as the champion to take his spot. Ash was very absorbed into Red's story and was ecstatic that his counterpart achieved his goal, but his mood changed when he saw Red's eyes take a look of sadness. Although Red accomplished his goal in becoming champion of Kanto, he came to a realization.

Red found that there was nothing left to achieve after becoming a Pokémon Master and there was now nobody that could face him as an equal in battle. Upon discovering this, he went into a reclusive state after all the media and attention drove trainers to battle him. Each time he fought a trainer, he won with ease and it bored him that there was no one of his caliber. Eventually the countless battles became tiresome for Red and what he did next shocked everyone that knew him. He renounced his title as champion and vanished off the face of the earth. Red's bit of information made Ash sputter in surprise. He now had to figure out why Red did what he did.

"I don't understand," Ash said folding his hands together, "you had everything, Red. You made your goal a reality and you just let it go like that?"

"I did," Red said with a shrug, "it was a painful realization on my end."

"After all that work, you let the title go just like that? What's the point of even being a trainer then?"

"Being a trainer doesn't mean you have to be a Pokémon Master. Take a look at the other things. There's breeding, coordinating, collecting and a whole bunch of other things that they can do."

"So your dream was just a waste of time then?"

"Don't put words in my mouth. I never said that and if I could go back and start again, I would do everything the same way. I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything."

Ash removed his hat and ran a hand through his wild hair as he tried to process Red's words. He was stunned at what his counterpart had told him about relinquishing the title he so desperately wanted. Red's words also got him thinking about his goal of being a Pokémon Master as well.

_"Is that what I can expect when I become a Pokémon Master?"_ Ash wondered as doubt crept into his head.

While Ash was lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice Red's gaze on him. Red could tell that he just instilled doubts into Ash's head. He couldn't blame Ash for having the thoughts he was now, but he had yet to tell Ash the key difference between them.

"Ash, while you may be questioning your dream of becoming a Pokémon Master, don't let my words deter you from it," Red said resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Is that what I can expect though, Red?" Ash asked.

"I can't say for sure. All I can tell you is that while we are counterparts, you and I have different outlooks and approaches on how we do things."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you the difference between you and me and why I don't want you to worry about my words."

Ash gave a nod and was now curious as to what separated him and Red. From what Red told him so far, he was under the impression that the key difference was their level in skill, but he must have been incorrect in his guess.

"Ash, the biggest difference between you and me is the way we worked towards our goal of becoming a Pokémon Master," Red said.

"How were our paths different?" Ash asked.

"Like I said, we took different paths to get to our goal. Now I know you're not there yet, but that's why I'm here to help you. I achieved my goal of becoming a Pokémon Master on my first attempt, but unlike you, I did everything alone. I was a lone wolf and I never made any lasting bonds with friends and traveled with anyone. It was because of that, that I reached my dream. You on the other hand would get sidetracked on a bunch of other things in lives of people you just met and would help them with their problems."

"What's wrong with that?"

"I never said anything was wrong with that, but let me finish before you come to a conclusion."

"Fine."

"Now, as I was saying, you would get distracted with helping others and I honestly believe that hindered your ability in advancing as a trainer. Your friends, Misty, Brock, Max, May, and Dawn. You share a strong bond with all of them and I think that's where you get your strength. If you have your friends there by your side, I believe you have the feeling of being invincible to anything that stands in your path."

"So you're saying your strength came from the bonds of your pokémon and lack of relationships with others while I get mine from having friends and helping others?"

"Precisely."

Ash looked at Red and saw his blank stare bearing into him. He found it weird that Red did not try to associate himself with anyone on his travel and now knew why he was a quiet person.

"So why shouldn't I worry about becoming a Pokémon Master?" Ash asked, "I don't want to have the same experience you did."

"You won't and the answer to why you will not have that problem is because you have friends," Red replied, "I think your friends will be the key for you to enjoy the title of Pokémon Master. As long as you have friends that strive to accomplish or beat you in some way, it will keep things interesting and you will not have to worry about being disinterested with anything."

Ash nodded and his mind began going through the many memories he had on his journeys with his friends. He cherished each memory and he remembered each of his close friends from his travels. Misty, the feisty red head tomboy, who he met after she literally fished him out of a river, was one he shared a strong bond with. She had been with him on three of his journeys and was the girl that he was closest to. Brock, the older and more knowledgeable friend of his had been like the brother he never had that had been with him from the beginning until he got back from Sinnoh. Max and May, were the two that really made it interesting as they were like younger siblings to him. Then finally, Dawn, the one girl Ash would admit was practically a female clone of himself.

"Now, I still have to finish my story, but I just wanted to tell you what the biggest difference between us was," Red said.

"Okay," Ash replied as he readjusted his hat.

Red then continued his story and returned to where he left off after renouncing his title as champion. After he released his title, he returned home for a brief period of time before leaving to travel the wilderness and strengthen his team even further. He isolated himself from society and kept himself from contacting anyone who knew him. Red was on Mount Silver for two years before he got a surprise visit from another trainer named Gold. Gold had become champion after defeating Lance and traveled to the top of Mount Silver to find him and challenge him to a battle. During their battle, Red was enjoying himself immensely as he had finally found another trainer who was capable of fighting him. In the end, Red prevailed as the victor. After his battle with Gold, he told him to send any trainers of his potential up to Mount Silver to give him a challenge.

"So you did find purpose in battling again?" Ash asked.

"I did find the spark to battle again, but I have yet to face another trainer since Gold," Red replied.

"Bummer."

Red gave a shrug and crossed his arms as he stood up and stretched.

"So how exactly does Arceus play a role in this?" Ash finally asked.

"Ah, so now you ask the question I've been waiting to hear."

"Yeah, now can you tell me what Arceus has to do with this?"

Red nodded again and started to explain. A couple of days after his battle with Gold, Red was sitting in the cave that they were now in and collapsed from exhaustion.

* * *

_Red's eyes fluttered open and he gave a groan as he pushed himself up and sat on his knees. He took a deep breath as he looked around the cave, only to find that he could not see any of the familiar rock formations. The change of scenery made Red scramble to his feet and look around in surprise. He took another look around and there was no trace of Pikachu and that did not help him relax. His hands tapped his belt for his Poké Balls, but he found they were absent as well._

_"Damn-it," Red muttered as he clenched his fists._

_"I do not believe curse words are really necessary," a voice said._

_The new voice made Red turn around as he searched for it. He found nothing in his sights but he could feel a divine presence with him. As Red continued his search for the voice, it spoke again._

_"Do not fear, Red. I only wish to talk with you," it said again._

_"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Red asked._

_"My name is Arceus."_

_"Well, Arceus, what do you want with me? Why am I here?"_

_"I wish to speak with you on an important matter in regards to space and time."_

_"Well before you tell me more, can you at least show yourself?"_

_Red felt the presence spike as he made his request. A blinding flash of white light illuminated the darkness and forced Red to shield his eyes from the stinging sensation that accompanied it. He was curious as to what entity had this kind of radiating power and knew that he would have to show respect for whatever was revealed in the light. The light finally dulled down and Red lowered his arm and his eyes widened in surprise at the creature before him._

_"You're a pokémon?" Red asked._

_"I am," Arceus replied with a curt nod._

_"So what kind of pokémon are you? I'm willing to bet that you're not an ordinary kind."_

_"You are correct in your observation. I am known as the Original One to my brethren."_

_"I see. So what's the story then? Why am I here?"_

_Arceus began to tell Red about the balance of space and time and that it was essential for it not to be tampered with. He explained that Red's world mirrored another world, but the difference was that everyone from his world had a counterpart in that world. Both worlds shared a delicate balance that had to be maintained at all times and that the slightest change in it could alter the entire universe. To keep the balance of space and time, everything in both worlds had to be in sync with one another and if something was not, it would start off a chain reaction that would cause both worlds to break apart and create a paradox. In order to ensure the space and time continuum remained the same, Arceus created guardians of space and time, Dialga and Palkia. Should some form of disturbance between the worlds were found, they would use their power and halt space and time until the error was rectified._

_However, they could only halt the space and time continuum for a limited amount of time. The reason why Red was able to talk with Arceus face to face was because he was his chosen champion. Arceus was the overseer of the earth and he knew everything that took place in it. The most important thing he had to do was ensure that he had a child to be his chosen champion that would be able to retain order should the balance be disrupted. Red's job as the destined child for his universe was to make sure that the legendary pokémon were not captured or provoked to the point that they would lose control of the balance that they were supposed to uphold. If any of the legendries lost control and their balance was being neglected, it would throw the world into chaos._

_"I understand everything you've told me so far," Red said as he looked up at Arceus._

_"Good," Arceus replied with a nod, "but surely you have some questions for me?"_

_"I do. The biggest question I have is about Dialga and Palkia stopping the flow of space and time. If they are doing it right now, then obviously something is wrong with one of the universes."_

_"You are correct. Your universe is normal, but the universe that mirrors yours is out of sync with one factor."_

_"What's the factor causing the disturbance?"_

_"Your counterpart, Ash Ketchum."_

_"How are we out of sync?"_

_"He failed to obtain the title of Pokémon Master on his first time around and has continued failing. He has now gone through four leagues and has not won any of them or beaten a champion."_

_"So it's because of that, that the worlds are pulling apart?"_

_"Correct, and now I have to make sure that Ash obtains his goal or else it will cause both universes to pull apart and that would disrupt the space and time continuum. There cannot be more than one world. Bear in mind that although your worlds are separate, they are joined together to maintain balance and if they separate, it will create a paradox in the universe."_

_"So to prevent the worlds from splitting and creating a paradox, you're going to make sure that Ash and I synchronize in order for the balance to stay maintained?"_

_"That's correct."_

_"How do you plan on doing that?"_

_"That's why I brought you here. Right now you are in a deep slumber in the cave in your world, but I am separating your spirit and transferring it to Ash's world. In order for Ash to reach his goal, I want you to train him to become you. When that is complete, you two will merge and your world will merge with his, stopping the paradox and completing synchronization."_

_"What will happen to my body on Mount Silver?"_

_"Your body will be fine. Remember what I said about Dialga and Palkia using their power to halt the time and space continuum? Right now, time in your world is frozen in place, so you will be fine. Time in Ash's world is still flowing and that's where you will be going. You need to make sure he can defeat you before you two merge."_

_"How long do I have before Dialga and Palkia lose their strength to keep time halted in my world?"_

_"You have just a little over two months."_

_"Very well, I'll do your bidding. I have just one last question."_

_"Of course."_

_"How will I communicate with Ash?"_

_"You will be dwelling inside of Ash's subconscious, but you will only be able to talk with him as he sleeps. However, in order for this to work, I had to include a location from both of your worlds that will work as your meeting place that had the energy to allow this to work. So every time Ash sleeps, he will be transported to the cave you are currently slumbering in, in your world. That was the only place where I was able to create a temporary plain of existence for you two to train."_

_"You probably could have just said you were bending the laws of physics for this to work."_

_"True, but I am anticipating Ash will ask you questions about this sooner or later. I'd rather have you know just what is going on instead of looking like an ignorant fool."_

_"Fair enough."_

_Red sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets as he looked up at Arceus._

_"Well, I'm ready when you are," Red said, "let's get to work."_

_"Good," Arceus nodded as Red's body became enshrouded in a white light alongside Arceus', "good luck, Red."_

* * *

Red looked up at Ash to see how he was taking this information to mind. As he expected, Ash looked pretty confused at the overwhelming amount of information that hit him. He smirked at his counterpart and waited for him to say something.

"So I'm the reason all of this is happening and that our worlds are being separated?" Ash asked.

"Yes, but that's why I'm here to help you. Since we're both the destined children of Arceus, we need to pull this off," Red replied.

"Can you get me up to your level before Dialga and Palkia lose their energy to keep the worlds from splitting?"

"Ash, you need to have faith in me. We're Arceus' chosen champions, so I want you to look at it this way. What always happens to heroes in the movies?"

"They always pull off the impossible in the end."

"There you go. That's what will happen, but you need to have faith in me and more importantly yourself for this to work."

"Well, I'm up for the challenge. So let's do it!"

"That's good to see your confidence and determination. Tomorrow we'll continue the training, so be ready to face my next pokémon."

"Sounds like a plan."

Red nodded and stood up with Ash doing the same. He gave a nod in farewell and made his way to the light. He stepped in the light and vanished upon touching it. Ash stood there and continued looking at the light where Red vanished and continued thinking about everything Red told him again.

_"This seems like a bad plotline in a sci-fi movie,"_ Ash thought as he scratched his head.

* * *

**Well, that's the chapter. I hope it was enjoyable and that you were able to understand it. Trust me, it wasn't easy to make it look the way I had it. I spent a lot of time writing and rewriting this to make it seem possible and logical. Now I want to tell you all a quick announcement. This will be the last update for the story until maybe early May at the earliest. I'm going to busy as hell these next two weeks with FTX training and then the week after that I've got projects and work for school, so I got really screwed and I'm on a tight schedule. Just be patient since I will be wrapping up this pre tournament arc in two chapters. I'll see you all later. -CaptainPrice**

**OC Info: I have yet to choose the final OC for the group, but I will probably have a decision by the next chapter.**

**Support OCs:**

**1.) Ryuu Sinclair (Tendou Souji)**

**2.) Danny McBride (HP-DG-SB-HA-RR-KB-NT-TD-LL-LJ) **

**3.) William Mercurious (ZachMercurious)**

**4.) Yue Wang (Bluemagesfairytail)**

**5.) Claire Atwood (Gentle Blossom)**

**6.) **

**Story Shoutouts: I changed the list up a little bit to suggest new stories that caught my attention.**

**"Red Steel Travels" by An Anon Fellow**

**A new Trainers sets out to do what they all dream. Become the best Trainer there is. But is all as it seems?**

**"Unova Chronicles" by DoTheBartMan**

**In a region home to many Pokémon a young trainer named Kyle sets on his journey from Aspertia City with the goal of entering the Unova League. ACCEPTING OC'S. (Give this story a read and some constructive feedback. This guy has guts for posting a story despite his dyslexia.)**

**"White Beginnings" by Azonic George**

**Ash starts his travel with the knowledge, and a new starter. A white rare pseudo-legendary. Along the way he met a blond girl who will accompany him on his journey, AshXCynthia RayShipping. (If you like Rayshipping like me, this story is for you. Very interesting and I always have to read the newest chapter when it comes out)**

**"Humilau High" by Your Broski**

**Welcome to Humilau High! Follows the battling team of the high school in and out of the stadium. Hilarity, antics, and Pokémon ensue. Barely, if any time in the classroom. (A high school story filled with comedy that you can find in those old movies like American Pie, Ferris Beuller's Day off, etc.)**

**"One Soul Two Visages" by Tendou Souji**

**Assigned a task by the goddess of death, Reaper saw fit to exploit a loophole during a bout of nonchalance. His opportunistic mind beckoning him, he broke down the barriers between dimensions and plucked out random soul to carry out the task in his place. A discover that everything is preordained shall be reached, for the soul's identity all but shatters the thought of chance.**

**"The Pokemon World League" by The Fan Fiction Writer**

**The elite echelon of the world's trainers gather to determine the very first World Champion. Rated T for safety, expect political undertones and themes. OC's readily accepted.**


	12. Mother-Son Bonding

**Hey all, after a couple of weeks of inactivity, I'm back with an update for the story here. Now this may be the last one for a bit, but the good news is that this is the second to last chapter before the next story arc starts which will be the tournament starting with the first bit of it. This chapter may be a slight filler but it does what I intended by introducing the last support OC. Before we start, I would like to once again thank you all for the continued support with my story now having 169 reviews, 15,429 hits, 2 C2s, 94 favs and 94 alerts. You are all awesome and I thank you for the support. This story now has 12 chapters and the first six have over 1,000 hits each with the others following close behind. Thanks so much! Look at the bottom author's note for more info.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash gets up to conduct some more training, but after ditching his mother a few days ago from doing chores, he is now being forced to help around the house against his will. While bored out of his mind, the quality time with his mother shows him a different side of her that he was completely ignorant of.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Ash had woken up early once again and he took a look at the calendar on his wall. The tournament was now four days away and his excitement was barely being contained. He had been training nonstop with his pokémon while he was awake and again with Red when he slept at night. He felt himself growing stronger and that alone raised his confidence on how he would perform in the league. As long as he continued the training regimen he was on, he would undoubtedly do well in the tournament. Upon realizing that the tournament was only a few days away, Ash noticed he was missing on old friend that he wanted alongside him during the tournament.

Ash walked over to the phone and dialed up the number he wanted and waited for the other person to pop on the screen as it continued ringing. After a couple of seconds, the screen activated and Officer Jenny was on the opposite end of the line. A friendly smile came onto Jenny's face as she saw him.

"How's it going, Ash?" Jenny asked him.

"It's going great! I'm just getting some more training in before the Pokémon World Tournament starts on Friday," Ash replied.

"Well I'm sure you have something to ask me if you're giving me a call right now, eh?"

"I do. Is Squirtle with you right now?"

Ash heard some commotion on the other end of the phone and saw Squirtle appear on the screen. Squirtle's face lit up and he greeted Ash with a wave.

"Hey, Squirtle, how are you doing?" Ash asked with a grin.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle replied giving a flex to which Ash laughed.

"He's been doing great, Ash. So what did you want to ask him?" Jenny said.

"Squirtle, there's a tournament that starts on Thursday called the Pokémon World Tournament that takes the best of the best trainers to have them battle each other to earn the title as the strongest trainer. I received my invitation last week and I was wondering if you would like to tag along for tournament."

The words barely left Ash's mouth before Squirtle gave a firm nod and a sly smirk spread across his face. He was obviously glad that Ash invited him back to the team to battle other trainers once again and he was more than eager to get to work.

"That's great! Jenny, if it's not too much to ask, do you think you can transport Squirtle over to Pallet Town?" Ash asked.

"Leave it to me, Ash. We'll be there as soon as we can!" Jenny replied.

"I appreciate it, Jenny. Thanks a lot."

Jenny gave a nod and hung up with Ash following suit. Ash stood up and scratched Pikachu's head as he climbed up to his shoulder. Pikachu looked thrilled to see that Squirtle was now coming back to the team and it reminded him a lot of their old days through the Kanto and Johto regions.

"The gang is almost back together, Pikachu," Ash said as he walked to the front door.

"Ash, hold on one minute!" Delia called out.

"What is it, Mom?"

"You are going to help me do some work around the house today. You'll have plenty of time to do training later today."

"Aw, come on. I have to train if I want to win that tournament!"

"You could use a break and you will be using your break to help me."

"Not much of a break if you ask me…"

"What was that?"

Ash quickly shut his mouth as his mother poked her head into the hall with a questioning stare at his last comment. He quickly waved his hands to dismiss the matter to which she gave a satisfied smile. He gave a sigh of relief when she turned on her heel and walked out the back door with Mr. Mime. If there was one thing Ash was scared of in this world, it was his mother when she was angry and his wild imagination made him think about her chasing him around with sharp gardening tools. Ash sighed as he put on his shoes and hurried outside to find his mother standing in front of the yard with Mr. Mime and a lot of bags and tools.

"Okay, this should go by fast if you help me out, so let's get to work," Delia said as she handed Ash a shovel.

"That's what you always say," Ash muttered as he ignored the glare she gave him, "so what do you want me to do?"

"I want you dig two holes and plant those trees I have over there."

Ash looked to where Delia was pointing and saw two small trees sitting beside the wheelbarrow. He walked over to the trees and put them in the wheelbarrow to move them over to the front of the house.

"Is there a specific place you want them planted?" Ash asked.

"Plant one on each side of the sidewalk," Delia said as she picked up a bag of mulch.

"Gotcha."

Ash pushed the wheelbarrow down to the front lawn and began to dig the holes for the trees. As he continued to dig, his mind clicked and a smirk spread across his face. His fingers traced Gabite's Poke Ball and he inwardly did his victory dance. He could use Gabite to help him dig the holes quick and move on to the next task and then move on to his training quicker. Ash plucked Gabite's ball from his belt and tossed it into the air and released him from the ball.

"Hey, Gabite, start digging a hole right there," Ash said as he pointed at the opposite side of the sidewalk.

"Gab!" Gabite replied as he jumped into the air and dug into the ground upon contact.

Gabite surfaced moments later and started digging in the spot where Ash was to help him with the job. While Gabite started digging the new hole, Ash planted the first tree and started to fill it back up with the dirt. Once Gabite finished with the other hole, Ash did the same thing and quickly filled up the hole. He hurried to the back of the house to see his mom crumpling up the bag of mulch she had earlier.

"What do you want me to do next?" Ash asked.

"I see you finished that fairly quick," Delia said with a teasing smile, "or should I say that Gabite finished that for you?"

"Okay, you caught me."

"Well, if you want to run an errand, I would appreciate it."

"Sure, what do you need me to do?"

"The market just at the end of town has some good fertilizer and some seeds that I would like. I'll give you the money and you can go and get them for me."

"I can do that."

* * *

Ash held out his hand as Delia placed a list and the money in it. He waved goodbye and walked to the front of the house again. Pulling out Charizard's Poke Ball, he threw it into the air and it opened with a loud snap. Charizard emerged and gave a loud roar and spat a stream of fire high into the air.

"Charizard, wanna get some air and give me a ride to the market?" Ash asked.

Charizard gave a nod and lowered to the ground to allow Ash to climb on. Once aboard, Charizard's wings opened and he gave a couple of flaps to soar into the air. Ash, Pikachu and Charizard were flying high above Pallet Town and couldn't help but look down below at the vast landscape of their hometown. Throughout all of his life, Ash had always enjoyed the fact that Pallet Town was small and filled with friendly people. Everyone knew one another and helped each other just like a community should.

"I have to admit that it's nice to just relax back at home after being on a journey for a while," Ash said as he returned his stare to the front.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Well, let's get this stuff and head back. The sooner we finish the sooner we can get to training!"

This earned a grunt of agreement from both Pikachu and Charizard. Charizard started to descend to the earth as they began to near the edge of town where the road led into the farmland of Viridian County. The market came into sight as there were multiple kiosks set up along both sides of the road. Charizard flapped his wings to slow his landing and came to a stop in the center of the road. Ash hopped off and gave Charizard a pat on the back while Pikachu climbed onto his shoulder.

"Thanks for the lift, buddy. Why don't you just chill out here while I get the stuff?" Ash suggested.

Charizard nodded and folded his wings up as began to lounge in the road. Ash and Pikachu went to the nearby kiosk to search for the first item on his mother's list. Upon looking at the list again, Ash scratched the side of his head. There were almost four different kinds of mulch that she wanted and the largest bag of each of them to boot.

"Mom really loves her mulch," Ash muttered as he went to the booth.

"Can I help you, kid?" The vendor asked.

"Oh, yeah, I'm looking for these four different mulch types."

Ash handed the vendor the list and he took it to take a look. He looked back at Ash with a smirk and crossed his arms.

"You're Delia's boy, aren't you?" The man asked.

"Yeah, how did you know that?" Ash replied.

"She's the only woman I know that orders this much mulch for gardening."

Ash pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head in embarrassment. The man laughed and turned around as he began to search for the bags of mulch that was on the list Ash gave him. While he was continuing his search, Ash leaned against the booth and took a gander at the other stands to see what they were selling. He could see numerous fruits, gardening tools, medicine, and seeds being sold around him. He was trying to come to terms with how his mother found gardening interesting, but shrugged it off after he dismissed it being something that came with maturity.

"Here's the mulch," the man said as he set the final bag on the counter.

"Thanks a bunch," Ash said as he paid for the bags.

"Did you want me to have someone deliver the mulch to her? I wouldn't charge since she's a valued customer."

"I'd appreciate it."

"Okay, I'll get someone on it and it should be there in an hour or so."

"Thanks."

Ash left the kiosk after setting up the delivery and started to walk over to the seed stand to pick up the seeds his mother desired for her garden. While he crossed the road, he noticed Pikachu's ears perk up as he sensed something coming. His curiosity caused him to stop and see what his partner was searching for.

"What's wrong, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Pika," Pikachu replied as his eyes scanned the crowd.

"Did you see something?"

Pikachu shook his head as his ears gave another twitch. He jumped off Ash's shoulder just in time to avoid getting tackled by a large solid form. Ash, however, wasn't so lucky. The large being slammed into Ash and successfully dazed him as he was sent to the ground. Tiny stars burst in front of his eyes as he tried to regain his senses after being tackled. His eyes came back into focus as he tried to make out the figure that was on top of him and panting heavily. It was an Arcanine. The Arcanine had a jovial expression on his face and he dragged his tongue upside Ash's cheek.

"Alright, big-fella, please get off of me," Ash said sitting up and wiping his face free from the saliva.

"Arcanine, there you are!" A girl's voice called out.

Arcanine's head turned around to the voice and took off towards it. Ash watched the Arcanine stop in front of a small girl that barely stood over five feet tall. The girl had a petite body with gentle curves. She had long, curly auburn hair that went down to her waist that was worn in a half updo style with her bangs brushed off to the left side of her face. Her eyes were an emerald green color, her skin was slightly tanned and her cheeks had a rosy color to them too. She was wearing a red sleeveless blouse with white spaghetti straps tied around her shoulders, grey short shorts, ankle length sandals, red wristbands, pear knob earrings, and a small silver necklace. The girl hurried over to Ash and Pikachu to check and see how he was holding up.

"Are you okay?" The girl asked.

"I'm fine," Ash said with a smile as he stood up.

"I'm so sorry about that. Arcanine's been cooped up in his Poké Ball for a long time and he's just happy to be out and running around. I think he saw your Pikachu and just wanted to play."

"No problem. I can't say I blame him because I'd probably have done the same thing in his position."

"Thanks. I'm glad that you're being a good sport about this. Some past experiences haven't been too pleasant."

Ash waved it aside and smiled as Pikachu climbed back up onto his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even introduce myself," the girl said, holding out a hand. "My name is, Jayleen Okido."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ash Ketchum," Ash said as he shook her hand.

"Wait. Are you the same Ash Ketchum from this past Sinnoh League?"

"Yeah."

"I saw your battles during the Sinnoh League on TV and they were well executed. Although it is a shame with what happened between you and Tobias."

Ash's smile faltered a little bit but he managed to continue his optimistic attitude. He had put his defeat against Tobias at the back of his head since he began his training with Red and was in no hurry to dwell on the memory as it would only lead to a downtrodden mood and that was something he planned on avoiding for a long time.

"Yeah, well I found that you can't dwell on things like that," Ash said as he rested his hands on the back of his head. "All those thoughts will eat at you and make you feel worse, thus turning you into a Negative Nancy."

Jayleen giggled at Ash's response and rested a hand on Arcanine's head. She pulled out two pieces of folded paper and unfolded both of them. One was a map that she spread out across the ground and the other was the letter from the Pokémon League about the Pokémon World Tournament. The letter immediately caught Ash's eye and he perked up a little bit at bumping into a new potential rival for the upcoming tournament. He crossed his arms and smirked down at Jayleen.

"So what brings you to the Kanto region?" Ash asked.

"This letter here," Jayleen replied holding up the letter from Charles Goodshow, "I'm trying to find this Indigo Plateau place where it's being held. I just got off the fairy and I'm having problems trying to find the best route."

"Ah, well I can offer a suggestion."

"You would be doing me a favor."

"What you want to do is follow this road here out of town and through Viridian County. Keep following this road until you reach Viridian City and once you get to Viridian City, you can either walk or take the bus from Viridian City and follow route twenty-two which will merge into route twenty-three and lead you straight there."

"Thanks. You just saved me a lot of time!"

Jayleen folded the map and letter and tucked it back into her pocket. She climbed on top of Arcanine and made sure she was comfortable to ride before looking down at Ash.

"It was nice meeting you, Ash. I hope we'll meet again someday," Jayleen said as she held out her hand as a goodbye.

"You'll be seeing me sooner than you think," Ash said as he shook her hand again. "I'm participating in that tournament too."

Jayleen smirked down at him to which he gave on in return. She tapped her heels against Arcanine's hips and he gave a bark before dashing down the road. Ash waved goodbye as he watched Jayleen ride off down the road until he could no longer see her. Remembering that he had a job to complete, Ash hurried over to the seed stand and handed the merchant the list his mother had made. The merchant chuckled as he saw the list and Ash once again had to hide his embarrassment as he buried his face in the palm of his hand.

"Here are the seeds, kid," the merchant said as he placed them in a plastic bag. "Tell your mom I said hey."

Ash nodded and paid the man and took the seeds from the counter.

* * *

With the job now done, he walked back over to Charizard who was sleeping peacefully. He considered waking up his friend but decided against it. It was a nice day and he felt like walking back to enjoy the beautiful weather. He recalled Charizard to the Poke Ball and started to head back into town. Pikachu jumped off of his shoulder and started to walk alongside him. The pair of them were enjoying their peaceful stroll and couldn't wait to finish their chores for the day so they could enjoy the day even more by training for the tournament. Ash looked down at Pikachu and grinned at him. Pikachu looked back up at him, head tilted in curiosity as to why he looked so happy.

"Let's get back home, buddy. I'll race you!" Ash said.

"Pika!" Pikachu accepted the challenge with a cocky smirk.

Ash and Pikachu took off down the road as soon as Pikachu agreed to the challenge. Ash was just ahead of Pikachu by mere inches, but it would quickly change to Pikachu being the one in the lead. They continued their run down the hill and could see their house in the distance.

"I'm gonna win, Pikachu!" Ash taunted.

"Pi!" Pikachu replied shaking his head.

As they reached the bottom of the hill a faint rumble made them stop in their tracks. They turned around as the sound of a motorcycle grew louder near the top of the hill. Seconds later, a motorcycle with a sidecar soared over the hill top and went airborne from the momentum it received. The motorcycle landed on the hill and began to speed up as it began to shoot straight downhill. It came to a screeching halt as it reached the bottom and turned sideways to stop. When the dust settled, the occupants of the motorcycle were made known to Ash and Pikachu. One of them was Officer Jenny and the other was a Squirtle wearing a pair of black shades over his eyes.

"Did someone order an express delivery?" Jenny asked as she looked at Ash with a smile.

"Yeah, you got here just in time!" Ash replied with a grin, "how's it going, Squirtle?"

Squirtle hopped out of the sidecar and jumped at Ash who caught him in a hug. He laughed as he patted his old friend on the back, happy to see him once again. Squirtle hopped out of Ash's grip and gave a flex, as if to show he had gotten stronger since he last saw him. Jenny tipped her hat at Ash and revved the motorcycle before taking off up the hill. Pikachu and Squirtle did a somewhat bizarre greeting by doing a bunch of hand slaps and fist bumps.

"Alright, let's get home!" Ash said beckoning Squirtle and Pikachu to follow him.

Ash, Squirtle and Pikachu came back into the front lawn to see Delia spreading mulch around the trees that Ash had planted earlier. Their return caused her to turn around and smile upon seeing them.

"Ah, good, you're back!" Delia said.

"Yeah, I bumped into a couple of people while I was getting the stuff on your list," Ash replied as he set down the bag of seeds.

"Well, at least you're back and now you can help me finish up the chores."

Ash gave a grunt in reply and walked over to where Delia was pointing to start planting the seeds. He picked up a spade to start making small holes to put the seeds in but stopped when he heard Pikachu give a surprised cry. Ash, Squirtle and Delia turned around to locate the reason for Pikachu's outburst. Their answer was that of a large extended metal device that had Pikachu contained inside a small glass ball. Looking up where the metal arm came from, Ash could see the infamous Meowth balloon and the occupants inside of it. Jessie, James and Meowth were cackling away at successfully snatching Pikachu once again and smirked down at Ash.

"Hey, give Pikachu back!" Ash yelled as he bolted to his feet and jumped for the metal arm.

"Do you really think we'll give Pikachu back that easily, twerp?" Jessie asked as she folded her arms.

"Pikachu, shut them up with Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu channeled electricity as he got ready to unleash the strong electric attack, only to be surprised when the attack had no effect when it was used. Just like countless times before, Team Rocket had taken precautionary measures to prevent Pikachu from ending their encounters with a quick electric shock. Jessie clicked her tongue at the predictable move and smirked down at Ash again.

"Nice try, twerp. But you should know that we're well aware of yours and Pikachu's strategy against us by this point," Jessie taunted.

Ash growled and glanced down at Squirtle who looked eager to for a fight and he was not going to stop Squirtle from getting that luxury. He nodded at his old friend and pulled out Bulbasaur's Poké Ball to give Squirtle some support. Bulbasaur emerged from the ball and took his place beside Squirtle. He looked surprised to see Squirtle at first but it turned to concentration when he saw the serious look on Squirtle's face and he soon found out why. Bulbasaur saw that Team Rocket had Pikachu in their clutches again and he was ready to save his friend once more.

"Bulbasaur, Squirtle, shoot down the balloon using Razor Leaf and Hydro Pump!" Ash ordered.

Bulbasaur aimed his bulb up at the balloon and a plethora of razor sharp leaves shot out of the bulb. Squirtle took a large breath as he inhaled a bunch of air, gathering the moisture in it before opening his mouth and releasing a large powerful blast of water from it. Both attacks went soaring high into the air and smashed into the balloon. The balloon burst as the attacks hit it, causing the basket to fall to the ground rapidly. The mechanical arm containing Pikachu broke off the basket and fell to the ground in the field across from Ash's house. Not wasting any time, Ash dashed across the road and into the field to break Pikachu free from the glass prison.

The basket from the balloon was smoldering a few feet away and the Team Rocket trio was trying to regain composure after the landing had shaken them. Ash saw Pikachu struggling in the ball and trying to break free but was having little success in doing so. Looking down at Squirtle, he pointed at the glass ball.

"Squirtle, use Skull Bash and break Pikachu out of there!" Ash barked.

Squirtle nodded and jumped at the container headfirst. His skull smashed right into the glass and caused it to crack before shattering completely. Pikachu sprang free from the confining space and landed in front of Ash. He shook his head clear and glared back at Team Rocket, ready to dish out some revenge.

"You brat! We'll get Pikachu back before we're done here!" Jessie sneered.

"I'd like to see you try!" Ash replied with a glare.

"You're going to regret saying that, twerp!" James and Meowth chorused.

Jessie and James pulled out their Poké Balls to prepare for battle in another futile attempt to steal Pikachu. Six Poke Balls opened and six pokémon materialized in front of Jessie and James. In front of Jessie were Seviper, Wobbuffet and Yanmega and in front of James were Carnivine, Mime Jr. and Cacnea. Ash was more than prepared to send Team Rocket flying again as they were not much of a threat.

"Fine, if that's the way you want it, I'll take you clowns down once and for all!" Ash said as he stared at them with determination in his eyes.

Red had dismantled the entire Team Rocket organization in his world, now it was time for Ash to finally take care of the Team Rocket trio that have been on his trail since day one. As Ash was about to issue a command, he saw his mother appear beside him out of the corner of his eye. Delia's arrival caught the interest of Team Rocket as well and they stared at her with curiosity.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Ash asked.

"It's only natural for a mother to help her children when they're in need. So I'll help you battle these three," Delia replied as she pulled off her gardening gloves.

"Mom, I can take care of these guys."

"I'm sure you can, but I want to battle with you."

"How cute. The twerp's a momma's boy, too," Meowth said with a laugh.

Delia didn't take too kindly to the teasing Team Rocket was giving her son and sent a sharp glare at Meowth who saw it and immediately quieted. The look he received almost scared him and reminded him of Giovanni when he was mad about something. He assumed his guard and prepared for battle with the woman.

"I don't appreciate the three of you ruining my day, especially if I'm sharing it with my son. Let me give you two options that I suggest you listen to. The first option is that you recall your pokémon and leave my town and my son alone indefinitely, or we will battle you and defeat you and report you to the authorities. It's your choice and I recommend you choose wisely," Delia said

Ash was looking at his mother with disbelief. He had never seen his mother with this kind of commanding presence and wondered if she had it in her from experience past or if she was just caught up in the moment. Whatever the reason, Ash found his mother's new side to be pretty cool.

_"Mom's awesome,"_ Ash thought with a smirk.

"We're not leaving without that Pikachu," Jessie answered as she stood up.

"I see," Delia said as she looked at them with disappointment, "I tried."

Delia turned back to the house and gave a sharp whistle. A few moments later, Mr. Mime was at Delia's side with a concerned look on his face. She gave Mr. Mime a friendly smile before putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Mimey, I need your help. We're going to battle those criminals there to make sure they don't bother Ash again," Delia said as she nodded at Team Rocket.

"Mime!" Mr. Mime replied.

"Mom, seriously, I can handle these guys," Ash said.

"Ash, you take on the girl and I'll take her partner."

Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to change her mind, Ash dropped the subject and did what his mother asked. He faced Jessie and pointed a finger at her as he prepared to dish out his first attack, but he also kept an eye on his mother to be sure she could handle things on her end.

* * *

"Seviper, use Poison Tail!" Jessie shouted.

"Squirtle, counter it with Rapid Spin! Bulbasaur, hit Seviper with Razor Leaf!" Ash countered back

Seviper slithered towards Pikachu but was intercepted by Squirtle who deflected his glowing purple tail with his rapidly spinning shell. The power left Seviper's tail and left him defenseless as Bulbasaur got on his flank. Extremely sharp leaves left Bulbasaur's bulb and sailed at Seviper, slashing into his body and forcing him back. The attack left Seviper stunned and gave Ash time to finish him off with Squirtle and Bulbasaur.

"Alright you two, let's take him down! Use Vine Whip and Hydro Pump!" Ash shouted as he pointed at Seviper.

Bulbasaur's vines extended from his back and struck Seviper hard across the face and sent him into the air from the brute force. Squirtle took his chance and sucked in air as he jumped up high. He opened his mouth and a large burst of water left his mouth and went straight for Seviper. The jet of water smashed into Seviper and sent him back to Jessie. Seviper landed at Jessie's feet completely drenched and bruised from the onslaught Bulbasaur and Squirtle did on him.

Jessie gave a growl and recalled Seviper to his ball before sending glances at Yanmega and Wobbuffet.

"Get those runts and take Pikachu!" Jessie ordered.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Yanmega! Bulbasaur, use Solar Beam on Wobbuffet!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu stored electricity in his body and gave a loud cry as he sent the powerful volt of electricity at Yanmega. The bolt hit Yanmega head on and forced him to fall to the ground as the sheer power was too much for him to handle. Once Yanmega was grounded, Pikachu started to bound towards him as he waited for Ash to give him another order.

"Pikachu, finish it with Volt Tackle!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu's run picked up some speed as he covered himself in the electric coat. He continued dashing at Yanmega, kicking up the ground as his attack continued to grow. Upon reaching Yanmega, Pikachu dove at him and his head collided with his. The electricity enveloped both of them and then a loud bang filled the area as the energy was discharged, shocking Yanmega. Pikachu jumped out of the smoke cloud and gave a shudder as the recoil hit him. The smoke cleared and Yanmega was revealed to be knocked out from the last attack.

Jessie was growing so frustrated with losing that she failed to pay attention to Bulbasaur and Wobbuffet's fight. It was at that moment that Bulbasaur finished storing the sunlight in his bulb that was now glowing a bright white. Bulbasaur leaned forward and took careful aim at Wobbuffet before unleashing the devastating beam. The Solar Beam shot at Wobbuffet and smashed into him with tremendous force. Another loud boom echoed around the field as it engulfed Wobbuffet entirely. Seconds ticked by and Wobbuffet stumbled out of the smoke before falling face first to the ground, defeated.

"Nice job!" Ash said as he praised Pikachu, Bulbasaur and Squirtle for their performance.

Ash shifted his gaze over to his mother's fight and saw that she was holding her ground without any problems. James refused to have Mime Jr. battle and had gone with Carnivine, who was looking rather banged up from the damage Mr. Mime inflicted on him. Delia was looking calm and collected as she kept her focus on the battle she was having.

"Mimey, use Psybeam!" Delia barked.

"Carnivine, dodge and use Bullet Seed!" James countered back.

Mr. Mime held out both of his hands as power began to form in them. He thrust his palms towards Carnivine and a multicolored beam shot forth and soared at Carnivine with impressive speed. Carnivine narrowly dodged the attack as he swerved to the left. The Pysbeam missed Carnivine and hit a tree, completely blowing a hole through it. The display of power caught James off guard and he even considered recalling Carnivine and surrendering the fight. He shook his head and remained persistent and watched as Carnivine fired his Bullet Seed.

Carnivine's mouth opened wide as multiple large yellow glowing seeds went flying at Mr. Mime with high velocity. This of course made Delia act quickly to set up a defense.

"Mimey, use Reflect!" Delia said quickly.

Mr. Mime pressed both of his hands together before pulling them apart and waving them in front of him. A large mirror like barrier was erected in front of Mr. Mime to defend him from the fast attack. The bullets hit the barrier with incredible speed and bounced off of it upon contact. The last bullet hit the barrier and Delia made her next move by snapping her fingers. Mr. Mime jumped out from behind the barrier and ran at Carnivine.

"Mimey, use Focus Blast!" Delia ordered.

Mr. Mime held his hands a few inches apart and a swirling ball of energy began to form between them. Once the ball grew to a decent size, he brought his arms back and gave a hard throw. The ball of rotating power went flying towards Carnivine. James opened his mouth to have Carnivine dodge the attack but it was too late. The attack proved to be too fast for Carnivine to dodge and he took the full blast of the hit and was sent spiraling back towards James. Carnivine landed in a crumbled heap at James' feet and was unable to battle any further. It was now up to Meowth to fight, but after seeing Delia's capability at battling, he thought otherwise of engaging her.

"Do something, Meowth!" Jessie pleaded.

"Are you crazy? Did you see what she did to Carnivine?" Meowth retorted.

"Well you're the only one who can battle!"

"Mime Jr. can still battle!"

"Mime Jr. will do no such thing!" James interjected as he hugged Mime Jr.

While the trio was bickering, Ash walked over to his mother and was stunned. He had no idea that she possessed the capability of a trainer that he just witnessed. To his knowledge, his mother wasn't a pokémon trainer, but after seeing her battle a moment ago, he now had a mountain of questions for her to answer.

"I told you I could be of use," Delia said with a sweet smile.

"Yeah, you weren't kidding," Ash replied with a nod.

"What do you say we finish this up?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Ash turned back to the trio and looked down at Pikachu. He received a nod from his partner and got ready to dish out the final attack.

"Pikachu, let's finish it up with Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu got in front of Ash as his cheeks started to crackle with electricity. He clenched his tiny paws as he began to channel all the power he had to the pouches in his cheeks. Once he diverted the power he had remaining, he jumped high into the air and released a massive bolt of lightning. The lightning bolt shot at Team Rocket and enveloped them earning loud cries of surprise from the spine tingling attack. One thing that Ash noticed about the Thunderbolt was that it seemed to be a lot stronger than normal. It was as if Pikachu was trying to ensure that this would be the last time they encountered Team Rocket. Pikachu's attack ended the moment his feet touched the ground and he swayed a little bit as he felt the power leave him.

* * *

Ash glanced back up at Team Rocket and saw they were sitting there completely stunned from the last attack. They were not showing any signs of getting up to continue the fight. They only had a look of defeat in their eyes and that pleased Ash greatly. He had finally defeated Team Rocket once and for all and it brought peace to his mind knowing he wouldn't have to deal with them ever again. He could hear sirens getting closer as the police were closing in on the field. Turning down the road, Ash could see Officer Jenny zooming towards them on her motorcycle with a patrol car in tow.

Delia hurried up to the road and began to flag them down so they could take care of the situation. Jenny pulled over after seeing Delia and hurried over to Ash to see what the damage was to the area.

"What happened?" Jenny asked.

"They happened," Ash said as he pointed at Team Rocket.

Jenny nodded and whistled up at the officers in the patrol car. They climbed out of the car and walked down towards Jenny with handcuffs at the ready. Jenny led them over to the defeated Team Rocket and they were cuffed. The officers hoisted Jessie and James up after cuffing them and started to lead them back to the patrol car. Jenny collected all of the Poké Balls that belonged to them and recalled each of the pokémon to them. She was going to make sure that their pokémon would be given to competent and worthy trainers.

As Jessie and James walked by Ash, they both spared him a glance. They saw a satisfied look on his face as he crossed his arms. Pikachu climbed onto his shoulder and glared at them before giving an all too sweet smile and waved goodbye. Neither of them said anything as they were shoved into the patrol car. The officers climbed back into the car and sped off down the road and out of sight. Jenny climbed back on her motorcycle and was about to take off, but Ash stopped her.

"Jenny, what's going to happen to them and their pokémon?" Ash asked.

"They'll be locked up for a long time," Jenny replied as she looked back at him, "I'll drop their pokémon off at a daycare so they can be cared for and then hopefully taken in by some more worthy trainers."

"Good. Let me know if they do find a good trainer to take them."

"I will, Ash. I'm glad you finally were able to deal with these bozos."

"Yeah. Thanks again, Jenny."

Jenny tipped her hat at him and sped off down the road to catch up with her colleagues. Ash and Delia watched until Jenny had vanished from sight and looked at each other.

"Mom, that was amazing," Ash said.

"Aw, thank you," Delia said as she ruffled Ash's hair.

"Where did you learn to battle like that? Were you a trainer when you were younger?"

"I'll tell you everything you want to know after we finish the chores."

Delia and Mr. Mime waltzed across the road and went to resume their work on the lawn. Ash groaned and dragged a hand down his face as he had to do more work in order to get more information from his mother. Giving a sigh, he looked back at Pikachu, Squirtle and Bulbasaur and motioned for them to follow him back to the house.

"Let's get back to work," Ash said with a sigh.

* * *

As he was about to cross the road, Bulbasaur began to glow white, catching Ash, Pikachu and Squirtle by surprise. Bulbasaur began to grow and his body started to shift from its previous state. He was now a little taller than before. His bulb gained a few additional layers and was now standing atop four long leaves. The glow left Bulbasaur's body and now in his place stood an Ivysaur looking proud.

"Bulbasaur, you evolved," Ash said with surprise as he kneeled in front of him.

He rested his hand on top of Ivysaur's head and he gently nudged Ash's hand. Ash was at a loss for words as he remembered the last time Bulbasaur faced evolving. Bulbasaur fought hard to avoid evolving when he was traveling the Kanto region and now the sudden change of heart made him wonder if Bulbasaur felt he was ready to move to the next stage.

"Ivysaur, are you okay with this?" Ash asked as he looked him in the eye.

"Saur," Ivysaur replied with a curt nod.

Ash took Ivysaur's decision to heart and supported him for it. One thing Ash was a little concerned about was the possibility that his personality may have changed greatly from when he was a Bulbasaur. He remembered how Charmander acted when he evolved into Charmeleon and then into Charizard and was hoping he wouldn't be faced with a similar problem. As he looked at Ivysaur, he shook his head and dismissed the negative thoughts. If Ivysaur was to go through an attitude problem like Charmander did when he evolved, then he would tackle the challenge of getting him to cooperate like a confident trainer would.

"Well, we'll have to see just what you're now capable of, eh?" Ash asked with a smile.

"Saur!" Ivysaur nodded with a smirk.

* * *

**Alright, that's the chapter everybody. The next chapter should be out within another week or two hopefully if I get time to write in between studying and final projects. Now that all of the support OCs have been introduced, all that's left is to get the show on the road with the tournament that will start the chapter after next. I will list the OCs I received when the tournament starts as arc character/recurring characters. Like I said, arc characters will only be in the arc while recurring characters will pop up every throughout the story. Now a word of advice, don't beg for me to give your OC screentime or try to pressure me into using them or else I will make sure they will drop out of the tournament fairly quick. If you are interested in another OC story, I have another one that's been up since August called "Rise of the Hybrids," drop in and give it a read if you are interested and would like to submit. All I ask is that you read the rules carefully and look at the end of the latest chapter to see what types are being looked for. Thanks again guys, and I'll see you next time!-CaptainPrice**

**Support OCs:**

**1.) Ryuu Sinclair (Tendou Souji)**

**2.) Danny McBride (HP-DG-SB-HA-RR-KB-NT-TD-LL-LJ) **

**3.) William Mercurious (ZachMercurious)**

**4.) Yue Wang (Bluemagesfairytail)**

**5.) Claire Atwood (Gentle Blossom)**

**6.) Jayleen Okido (FiammaJoule)**

**Story Shoutouts:**

**"One Soul Two Visages" by Tendou Souji**

**Assigned a task by the goddess of death, Reaper saw fit to exploit a loophole during a bout of nonchalance. His opportunistic mind beckoning him, he broke down the barriers between dimensions and plucked out random soul to carry out the task in his place. A discover that everything is preordained shall be reached, for the soul's identity all but shatters the thought of chance.**

**"The Pokemon World League" by The Fan Fiction Writer**

**The elite echelon of the world's trainers gather to determine the very first World Champion. Rated T for safety, expect political undertones and themes. OC's readily accepted.**

**"Rise of the Hybrids" by CaptainPrice**

** Pokemon and humans have been interacting as far back as anyone can remember. Now, a new discovery by researches will bring them closer together than ever before. The gene that few can awaken has been targeted for profit and gain by governments and their goal is to create the ultimate super soldier. It's only a matter of time before desperate measures will be taken to ensure that it can be done.**


	13. Wish You Well

**Hey all, I managed to get a break in my studies and final projects to get this chapter cranked out for your viewing pleasure. I would like to take this time and thank you for your continued support with my story now having 180 reviews, 17,560 hits, 2 C2s, 100 favs and 104 alerts. Thanks a bunch for being loyal readers, it truly means a lot. Now like I said in my last chapter, this chapter here is the final chapter to the pre-tournament arc. The next chapter will introduce the tournament and the dynamics to how it will work because I want to make it different and unique to the other tournament fics out there. I will try to get the new chapter out next week, but don't plan on seeing it because I'm studying for my biology final which will kick my ass if I don't. Now let's get to the chapter! Be sure to read the author's note at the end as well as my rant of the day.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash learns some more information about his mom's experience with pokemon and how she and his father met. Red tests Ash with his next pokemon and gives him some parting words of advice. Ash also receives a letter that gives him a surprising revelation.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Exhaustion was all Ash was feeling right now. His day of training was not going to happen as the sun was now setting and he and his mother just finished the endless amount of chores on the list. He plopped down in the chair at the dinner table and buried his face in his hands. Delia was whistling a happy tune as she and Mr. Mime were working on cooking dinner, which happened to be the only thing keeping Ash from falling asleep where he sat. As Delia continued cooking, Ash remembered the battle he and his mother had against Team Rocket and was itching to know where his mother learned to battle like that. He had a feeling that his dad played a part in it, but then again, he never knew much about his mother's history when she was a youth.

"Hey, Mom, you never answered my question from earlier," Ash said as he rested his chin on his hand.

"Oh?" Delia asked sparing him a glance.

"You said you would tell me where you learned to battle when we were done with the chores."

"Ah, yes, now I remember."

Delia placed their dinner on the table to which Ash immediately began filling his plate with the delicious cuisine. As Ash filled his plate, Delia walked over to a nearby shelf and pulled out a photo album and went back to the table. She flipped to her desired page and found what she was looking for. The picture was of her and her old team at the Indigo League years back after they finished it. She had placed in the top sixteen, finishing ninth overall on her first try. She pushed the album over to Ash who glanced at the picture as he ate another spoonful of food. He choked in surprise when he saw his mother and her old team standing in front of the stadium of the Indigo League.

"So you were a trainer! I was right!" Ash said with a smirk.

"Back in the day I was a fairly accomplished trainer, just like you," Delia nodded with a smile.

"Why did you quit?"

"You know the answer to that. When your grandmother passed away I inherited the restaurant and I wanted to continue to run it. Plus, I was also pregnant with you and I wouldn't be able to both be a trainer and a mother so I did the responsible thing and put it aside."

"Mom, how old were you when you put your dream aside?"

"I was nineteen when I had you."

Ash nodded and looked back down at the picture before returning to his meal. He did know that his mother was younger than a lot of others because she had him when she was young. His mind drifted to his father again as he thought about what he may have felt when he was born. His mother told him that his father was happy that he was born, but he still wanted to continue his dream of being a Pokémon Master and Delia said that she wouldn't stop him. This led to Ash's father leaving when he turned five and he had yet to return to either him or Delia. For the most part, Ash had a mixed view on his father. One part of him wanted to hate him for leaving him and his mother behind when he was younger and the other side of him wanted nothing more than for him to come back home.

"So how exactly did you and Dad meet?" Ash asked.

"Well, your father was a bit of an egomaniac when he was younger and claimed to be the best trainer in all of Kanto," Delia said with a giggle.

"Was he very strong?"

"Your father was a strong trainer, no doubt about that. However, his boastful attitude got him into a lot of trouble with other trainers who would challenge him to a battle."

"Did he ever lose to other trainers?"

"Well, he did lose a good amount of times, but never to trainers his level. He lost mainly to trainers that were stronger than him. Now this brings up how he and I met."

Delia remembered the encounter as if it happened yesterday. She was just about to start her journey to the Indigo Plateau from Viridian City when she met him. He just finished battling another trainer and had won with minimum effort. After he defeated the trainer, he asked the crowd that watched if there was anyone that felt they could face him and beat him. Delia found his attitude to be distasteful and decided to battle him to see if she could knock him down a peg or two. He laughed at her when she challenged him and tried to make the bet more interesting by saying if he won she had to go on a date with him and that if she won, she would take the title of the strongest trainer of Kanto.

"He took it upon himself to dub himself as the strongest trainer in Kanto so I decided to battle him and knock him down a couple of pegs," Delia said as she sipped her water.

"What happened after that?" Ash asked, eager to know more.

"Well, your father was no pushover with our battle. He was very strong, maybe even the strongest trainer I faced at the time. Our battle went back and forth with each of us taking out one pokémon after the next and it finally got down to each of us on our last pokémon. He was using his Gyarados and I was using my Scyther. I wanted to wrap the battle up as soon as I could so I had Scyther power up using Swords Dance and waited for an opening. Thankfully, I got the opening I wanted because your father wanted Gyarados to use Hyper Beam. I made Scyther use X-Scissor and it worked beautifully."

"So you won the battle?"

"I sure did. The look on your dad's face was priceless."

"I'd be surprised too. Bug type pokémon don't have little effect on water types."

"While that is true, it all depends how you use your pokémon's moves as a strategy, which is exactly what I did. Although I do feel I got lucky with that match."

"What did he think?"

"He declared me as his rival and then left after saying he hoped to see me at the Indigo League."

Ash was surprised at what he learned about both of his parents. He already knew that his father was a strong trainer from numerous stories his mother told him, but he never imagined that his mother of all people used to be a trainer as well. Judging from what she told him, she had an impressive record for accomplishments and even beat his father in a battle which was something no trainer of his level was capable of doing.

_"I guess I got my passion for being a pokémon trainer from both Mom and Dad,"_ Ash thought with a smirk.

"From what I can tell though, you seem to have more of your father in you," Delia said with a smile.

Ash chuckled a little bit and finished clearing his plate of food. Strangely enough he didn't feel like having seconds and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. He got up from the table and started to make his way upstairs but stopped when his mother called out to him.

"Thanks for helping me out today, honey," Delia said as she went to pick up his plate. "Get some sleep so you can get up bright and early for training!"

"You don't have to tell me twice," Ash replied. "Goodnight, Mom."

Ash trudged up the stairs and entered his room, not even bothering to change since he was too tired. He climbed into bed and fell asleep the second his head rested on the pillow.

* * *

Ash was standing on the battlefield he and Red have been training on for almost a week now and was eagerly waiting for Red to show up so he could battle his next pokémon. He defeated Red's Pikachu which left him with five more pokémon until his real test would take place. He began to wonder what the full battle between him and Red would be like after he finished doing the test of defeating each pokémon individually. From what he experienced facing Red's Pikachu, he knew it would not be an easy feat when it came to the true fight. If anything, it would be his toughest challenge, perhaps even tougher than facing Tobias.

"Are you ready to go?" Red asked from the shadows.

"Yeah, let's get going!" Ash replied with a nod.

"Send out your first pokémon. Just like the battles we had before, you'll only use two pokémon for this fight."

"Fine with me."

Ash pulled out his first Poké Ball and enlarged it from its small state to release his first pokémon. He had been waiting to use this one for a while now and he personally felt it was time to send him out and see how he would hold up. Winding his arm back, Ash released the ball and sent it high into the air and it opened with the familiar snap. A white glow formed in the air and took the shape of a bird. When the glow vanished, Pidgeot was revealed in its place.

"Ah, you're bringing out your old Pidgeot?" Red asked as he looked up at Pidgeot.

"That's right, so let's get this show on the road!" Ash answered with a smirk.

"As you wish."

Red's eyes adapted a more serious look as he pulled his Poké Ball from his belt and mimicked Ash's movements. His ball was sent to the center of the arena and it opened with a loud crack and released his pokémon. The white glow took a large familiar shape that was revealed to be a Venusaur when the glow vanished. Ash analyzed the situation before him and felt confident with facing Venusaur. He had two pokémon in his arsenal that could take on Venusaur without much difficulty and he planned on using them to his advantage. While he felt like he could face Venusaur without many problems, he did not let the fact of type advantage get to his head. He learned that the hard way when he sent Gible up against Red's Pikachu the first time.

"You get the first move, Ash," Red said as he waited for Ash to make a move.

"That's fine with me," Ash said as he clenched his fists, "Pidgeot, let's start off with Quick Attack!"

Pidgeot tucked his wings in and dove straight for Venusaur with impressive speed which caught Red's attention. He was impressed with the amount of speed Pidgeot had with his descent and wondered if he could go faster than that if trained even further. Dismissing the thought, he looked back at Pidgeot and waited for him to get within range. When Red saw Pidgeot was right where he wanted him, he made his move.

"Venusaur, use Sludge Bomb!" Red ordered.

Venusaur opened his mouth a large glob of brown sludge shot out of it and went sailing right at Pidgeot. Pidgeot quickly swerved out of the way to avoid the poisonous attack and continued his attack as he closed in on Venusaur. Pidgeot slammed head into Venusaur and made him give a loud grunt from the pain. Ash gave a triumphant whoop as he saw the direct hit, but Red remained indifferent to the attack. Red's lack of emotion was one thing that kept Ash on guard as he battled him. By not showing any when Venusaur was hit by the attack, Ash wondered if Red expected him to take the hit in the first place.

Pideot took to the air again as Venusaur shook his head clear from the attack. Red's eyes met Venusaur's and he gave a nod for him to begin the attack.

"Venusaur, grab Pidgeot with your vines!" Red said.

"Dodge the vines and then use Wing Attack, Pidgeot!" Ash countered.

Venusaur's vines extended from his back and shot for Pidgeot with speeds that surprised both Ash and Pidgeot. Pidgeot soared higher into the air and did multiple twists and loops to avoid the thick vines that continued to pursue him. Ash didn't expect Venusaur's vines to be as fast as they were and had to act fast. He could see what Red was doing and could see that Pidgeot would be cornered into the ceiling which would allow him to be caught.

"Pidgeot dive at Venusaur and use Wing Attack!" Ash yelled.

Pidgeot gave a cry back as he acknowledged Ash and did a quick flip. He folded his wings a little as he dove down at Venusaur again. Venusaur's vines retracted and shot up at Pidgeot once more. Pidgeot weaved and dodged each vine and got closer and closer to his target. He began to divert power into his wing and it started to glow white as the power coursed through it. Pidgeot was upon Venusaur again and drew his wing back to deliver the strong attack, but was cut off when Red gave a last second order.

"Razor Leaf!" Red said with a smirk.

The leaves on Venusaur's back rustled violently before being sprung into the air. The sharp leaves hovered for a moment before shooting at Pideot like a barrage of bullets. One leaf after the next pelted the Pidgeot and sent him back across the arena. The surprise attack caught Ash by surprise and he gave a low growl as he failed to see that coming, but he now knew of the attack for future reference. Another thing that caught his attention was the fact Red seemed to implement some of his strategy by using a fast attack at the last second. Putting the thought in the back of his head, Ash watched as Pidgeot fell to the ground and gingerly pushed himself up.

"Solar Beam!" Red ordered as he pointed at Pidgeot.

Venusaur crouched low on his front legs and aimed the large flower at Pidgeot. A bright light began to form on top of the large flower on Venusaur's back it was fired with tremendous speed at Pidgeot. Luckily Pidgeot recovered from the previous attack and was standing on his feet once again. The agile bird had to make a move to avoid being taken out by the devastating attack.

"Pidgeot, up!" Ash barked.

Pidgeot gave a few hard flaps and managed to get airborne just in time to avoid the attack. The white beam of light hit the spot where Pidgeot was mere seconds ago and a loud boom echoed around the caverns. The attack created a large explosion and a dome of white light appeared on the impact sight, sending chunks of rock all over the place. Pidgeot went as high as he could to avoid any falling debris and further damage that Venusaur may attempt to inflict. With that last attack, Ash saw his window of opportunity because of the recovery time.

"Pidgeot, let's get an attack in! Use Hurricane!" Ash shouted.

Pidgeot flew low to get within range of Venusaur to unleash his ultimate attack. His wings spread wide as his eyes started to glow hazel. He began to flap his wings hard and fast and they began to glow white as power surged through them. The wind in the cavern picked up as it began to blow wildly which garnered Red's attention from the sheer power that was being generated. Suddenly, large crescent shaped blades of wind began bearing down on Venusaur as Pidgeot sent them from his wings from each flap. One blade of wind would hit Venusaur and explode with a loud bang and force him back a little bit. One blast of wind after the next would push Venusaur further back until he was just in front of Red. The final blade of wind shot at Venusaur and struck him in the head, earning a roar of pain.

Red's eyes narrowed at the powerful attack and he examined the situation before him. He was happy to see that Ash used his head and attacked at the right moment with Venusaur's recovery time after Solar Beam. Now it was his turn to dish out some payback against his counterpart.

_"Not bad, Ash,"_ Red thought as he glanced up at him. _"Now it's my turn."_

Red looked at Pidgeot and could tell he was winded after utilizing a lot of energy to use that attack. Now was the perfect time to attack and take Pidgeot out of the match. Venusaur shook off the pain he was feeling and glared at Pidgeot with his red eyes.

"Venusaur, grab Pidgeot with your vines!" Red said.

The vines went for Pidgeot once more and this time, they succeeded in ensnaring him. Pidgeot was too tired from using the last attack and didn't have the ample recovery time he needed to dodge the attack. He struggled against the thick vines and tried to prevent himself from crying out in pain as the constriction began to hurt him.

"Draw him in and use Sleep Powder," Red said as he continued to watch Pidgeot struggle.

Venusaur gave a hard pull on the vines and yanked Pidgeot over to him. He held Pidgeot just above his flower and continued to store the spore that was building inside of it. Once he finished storing the power, Venusaur released a shining blue powder into the air. Pidgeot was surrounded by the powder and his struggling began to dwindle until it finally stopped altogether.

"Toss Pidgeot and finish it with Energy Ball," Red said as he nodded at the ceiling.

Venusaur nodded and gave a swing with his vines, sending Pidgeot up high. Ash watched as Pidgeot was thrown into the air and saw Venusaur's mouth open as an emerald ball of energy began to build inside his mouth. Once the ball grew to a decent size, he fired it in the path of Pidgeot's descent.

"Pidgeot, wake up!" Ash yelled, desperate to wake up his friend.

His cry fell on deaf ears as Pidgeot was still in a deep slumber from the Sleep Powder. Ash could only watch as Pidgeot fell to the ground and into the path of the Energy Ball. There was a loud bang as the Energy Ball exploded upon hitting Pidgeot. A cloud of smoke blocked Pidgeot from sight, but he fell from it moments later covered in bruises and he hit the ground with a loud thump. Ash could tell Pidgeot would not be able to continue and held up his Poké Ball to recall him.

"Pidgeot, return," Ash said as he withdrew him and looked at the ball. "You did great. Now take a good rest."

"I have to hand it to you Ash, you seem to be thinking on a more tactical level instead of being a spontaneous battler," Red commented from across the field.

"How so?" Ash replied as he pulled out his next Poké Ball.

"By having Pidgeot use Hurricane when Venusaur had to recover after using Solar Beam. That attack takes a lot out of him and it was an excellent move and strategy to dish out some decent damage with an opening like that."

"Thanks."

"Now send out your next pokémon."

Ash nodded and looked at the ball in his hand and a grin spread across his face. He threw his Poké Ball into the battlefield and it opened, sending out his next pokémon. The large shape revealed Charizard standing tall and proud. He gave a loud and mighty roar as he was summoned and laid his eyes on his opponent, giving an intimidating glare. Charizard's appearance made Red smirk as he had expected Ash to use him, but now he was also interested with how this battle would end.

_"This just got interesting,"_ Red thought as he looked at Charizard.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Ash yelled.

Charizard opened his mouth and a blistering stream of fire shot from it and towards Venusaur. Expecting a ranged attack, Red unveiled Venusaur's next move.

"Protect," Red said as he snapped his fingers.

A green dome surrounded Venusaur just as the flames reached him. The flames engulfed the dorm and Venusaur, blocking him from sight. When the attack ended, small fires burned around the cloud of smoke. The smoke dissipated and revealed Venusaur standing strong behind the green dome. The barrier around him dropped and he gave a smirk at Charizard to which the latter growled back at him menacingly.

"Venusaur, use Synthesis," Red said.

"Oh no you don't!" Ash shouted, "Charizard, use Dragon Tail!"

Venusaur was beginning to glow with a golden light as he started to regenerate from any damage he took from his encounter with Pidgeot and Ash was not going to let that happen. Charizard heard his order and gladly followed through with it. He flew at Venusaur with incredible speed and his tail started to glow a light blue as the power built inside of it. He gave a vicious swing when he was upon Venusaur and managed to strike him in the side, disrupting Synthesis in the process.

"Sludge Bomb!" Red ordered.

Venusaur recovered from the hit he obtained from Charizard and fired another large brown glob of sludge from his mouth. The large ball hit Charizard full force and he tensed up in pain as he felt the toxin flow through him. Ash growled again with having to deal with a poison status and he now had to finish the battle as quick as he could. If any of the lessons stuck in his head from his past battles, it was that the poison status would inflict more damage as the battle went on.

_"This isn't good. I need to wrap this battle up soon or Charizard will be taken down by that poison,"_ Ash thought.

"Venusaur, use Giga Drain!" Red said.

"Dodge it and use Fire Spin!"

Venusaur attempted to use Giga Drain, but Charizard's speed proved to be too much for him to fight against. He got a good distance away from Venusaur and opened his mouth to unleash Fire Spin. The fiery blaze left his mouth in a spiraling motion and surrounded Venusaur inside of it. While Venusaur was wrapped up in the flames, Red was decided to use his fail safe move to try and inflict heavy damage to Charizard.

"Venusaur, use Frenzy Plant!" Red barked.

Venusaur's body was outline in a green aura for a brief moment before he gave a hard stomp into the ground. At first nothing happened, but that changed when the ground began to quake violently. Without warning, massive roots with spikes burst from the ground all over the arena and shot toward Charizard, trapping him inside the center. Charizard growled and glared at the attack as it raced towards him. There was no way he could counter the whole attack.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower and try to burn a hole through the roots!" Ash yelled.

Charizard attempted to do what Ash said, but he was unable to penetrate the massive roots that swallowed him whole. There was a thunderous crash as the spiky roots smashed into Charizard and the ground around him. The room was filled with silence as after the attack hit Charizard head on and he had yet to show any signs that he was still able to battle. As the seconds ticked by, Red crossed his arms and wondered if that was all Charizard had to offer.

"I guess that's all Charizard had to offer," Red said with a sigh.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," Ash said as he looked at him. "When it comes to battles, I can always count on Charizard to finish the fight and win."

"Well, if he wins the fight here, I'll take your word for it."

The moment the words left Red's lips, a blinding orange and red flash began to peek through the holes of thick roots. A low growl soon turned into a loud ferocious roar as Charizard's power grew. A massive burst of fire came to life from inside the roots and consumed them completely, creating a large dome of fire that then shot towards the ceiling. The dome of fire then imploded and shot forward towards Venusaur and hit him head on. Ash and Red had to shield their eyes from the blinding attack and were both surprised with the burst of power that Charizard just had.

"What was that?" Ash asked himself.

"That was Blast Burn," Red said with a note of surprise in his voice.

Charizard was revealed when the dust settled, panting heavily from exerting a lot of power to break free from the Frenzy Plant. He flinched in pain as the recoil from the attack and poison took its toll on him and he fell to one knee.

"Charizard, don't give up! Finish it with Slash!" Ash encouraged.

"Venusaur, block him!" Red countered.

Charizard gave another mighty roar and held out both of his claws that then started to glow white and extended to twice their normal size. He pushed off the ground with his legs and soared at Venusaur with his claws brought back to slash him. Venusaur used his vines and wrapped them around Charizard's wrists and pinned them to the side to prevent him from hitting him with Slash. Charizard was stopped dead in his tracks as Venusaur held him in place with his strong vines and he valiantly tried to continue his way to Venusaur to finish Ash's order. The two powerful pokémon were locked in a deadlock with neither side giving an inch.

"Charizard, don't give up! Keep pushing through and finish it!" Ash hollered.

"Venusaur, hold Charizard back and use Razor Leaf!" Red said.

The leaves on Venusaur's back rustled again as they released the sharp leaves into the air.

"Charizard, stop that attack with Flamethrower!" Ash yelled.

Charizard opened his mouth and released a powerful stream of fire at the leaves as they soared at him. The leaves incinerated on contact and the attack itself hit the top of Venusaur's flower, causing him to relinquish his hold from the searing pain. The second Venusaur's grip loosed, Charizard continued his stride towards Venusaur and a set of claws up to bring down for a vicious slash. Charizard's claws raked across the top of Venusaur's head and earned a loud grunt from him. While Venusaur was stunned from the brutal slash, Ash decided to get one more move in to end the fight.

"Finish it with Skull Bash!" Ash shouted.

Charizard gripped onto Venusaur with his claws and brought his head back before bringing it forward with intense force. There was a loud clunk as Charizard's skull connected with Venusaur's. For a moment, neither of the pokémon moved after the move was used. Finally, Charizard lifted his head off of Venusaur's and stepped back a little bit. Venusaur swayed before falling to the ground with a loud thump. The ground shook a little bit as Venusaur collapsed at Charizard's feet. Charizard smirked and raised his head to the ceiling and gave a victorious roar and spitting out some flames from his nostrils.

"You did it, Charizard!" Ash cheered.

Charizard flew back over to Ash and received a pat on the head as he was praised for a job well done. While Ash was congratulating Charizard on his victory, Red recalled Venusaur to his ball and thanked him for his outstanding performance.

"Thank you, my old friend," Red whispered, tucking the ball away. "Take a long rest."

Red returned his gaze to Ash and watched as he continued to give praise to Charizard for his victory. As he watched Ash, he felt a wave of pride go through him and a small smile graced his lips. His counterpart was coming along nicely in their training sessions and had already successfully taken down his second pokémon on an individual level. If he kept up the training, he may be end up beating all his pokémon individually by mid-June. He tucked his hands in his pockets as he walked over to Ash, all the while coming up with his evaluation for their battle. He had little criticism to give Ash and that alone made him happy because that meant he was doing his job and that Ash was improving.

"What do you think, Red?" Ash asked with a grin.

"Not bad, Ash," Red answered with a small smirk, "you're coming along nicely."

"Thanks. So what does my evaluation look like right now for our battle?"

"I honestly don't have much to critique you on this time, Ash. Like I said, you're coming along nicely with our training sessions. You made excellent choices with your pokémon selection and you had an excellent attack strategy when you battled Venusaur with both Pidgeot and Charizard. The one thing I would recommend you do is try to improve Pidgeot's speed. He's fast now, but I feel as though he can be faster and when he reaches that level, you'll have a speedy and strong offensive pokémon for your roster."

Ash nodded at his counterpart and returned Charizard to his Poke Ball after giving him a final pat on the shoulder. He attached the ball to his belt and looked up to see Red walking towards the light. Red stopped just in front of the light and turned back to Ash to give him some final words of advice.

"Ash, while I am glad to see you're taking this training I'm giving you seriously, I want you to promise me one thing," Red said as he looked at him.

"What's that?" Ash replied.

"Do not neglect your family and friends to achieve your dream. Remember the key difference between you and me? You get your strength from the bonds you have with your friends and family."

"I won't. Just out of curiosity, where did that come from?"

"Because that's where I failed as a trainer. I never made lasting bonds and that's one of the biggest regrets I have. I don't want you to make that same mistake and I saw you almost did that to your mother today when you tried to finish those chores to get to training."

"I can promise you that I'll never do that."

Red looked into Ash's eyes and could tell that he was not lying about his promise. He gave Ash a nod, walked into the light, and vanished. Ash continued to stare at the spot where Red vanished and crossed his arms as he thought about his departing words. He was a little confused as to why Red would tell him not to disregard his friends and family. Did he think that he would lose sight of them during his training? No. There was no way Ash would ever let training get in his way of family and friends.

He thought back to his mother and the events from earlier today and felt a little guilty. He did try to ditch her to do training in preparation for the Pokémon World Tournament and his fight against Red. He also remembered how he ditched her last week, but he did it to go see Misty who was a friend of his, so he didn't see much wrong with that.

_"I should apologize to Mom for that,"_ Ash thought as he rubbed the back of his head.

He turned on his heel and started to walk towards the stairs at the end of the path. Ash stopped and turned back to the battlefield.

"Thanks, Red. I won't break the promise," Ash said before walking up the stairs.

* * *

Ash awoke as sunlight landed on his eyes. He gave a groan and brought the pillow over his head to block the blinding sensation that the bright light brought. He peeked at his clock from under the pillow and his eyes widened in surprise. His clock read 10:30 and he realized he overslept through his alarm. He jumped out of bed and hurried to the bathroom to clean himself up a little bit. His sudden jolt caused Pikachu to fall out of the bed and faceplant on floor. He sat up and cracked his neck to fix the kink in it.

Ash hurried back into the room and grabbed his hat before heading down the stairs. Pikachu dashed after Ash and jumped on his shoulders so they could start their day. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Ash could hear some hushed whispers coming from the living room and walked over to it. Ash entered the living room and jumped in surprise when he saw multiple people jump out from behind the furniture.

"Happy birthday, Ash!" They chorused.

When Ash overcame the startling outburst, he looked around the living room. He could see some balloons and a banner dangling from the ceiling reading, 'Happy 15th Ash!' and he saw a lot of his old friends. From left to right, he could see his mother, Professor Oak, Gary, Tracy, Brock, Misty, May, Max and Dawn. A large smile spread across Ash's face as he saw everybody and he walked into the room.

"Wow, thanks guys!" Ash said as he greeted them one by one.

"No problem, Ashy-boy," Gary said as he clapped him on the shoulder, "happy 15th, buddy."

"Thanks, Gary. I appreciate it."

Gary gave him another pat on the shoulder and walked over to the table towards the cake that had been cut. Brock and Misty came over and each gave Ash a hung and wished him happy birthday. Misty's hug lasted longer and Ash enjoyed it quite a bit. Next, May and Max came to greet him. Like Misty, May gave Ash a long hug and smiled at him after wishing him a happy birthday. Ash ended up giving Max a noogie for saying a smart aleck remark about turning a year older and losing his touch.

"I'll show you who's losing their touch you little twerp," Ash said with a smirk as he rubbed his knuckles against Max's head.

"Ouch, cut it out!" Max yelled.

"Take it back, Max."

"Alright, alright, I take it back! Just stop with the noogie!"

Ash laughed and released Max, letting him fix his now messy hair and glasses. While Max was busy recovering from the noogie, Dawn came up to Ash with a large smile and hugged him as well.

"Happy birthday, Ash!" Dawn said as she let go of him.

"Thanks for coming, Dawn. It means a lot," Ash replied.

"Are you kidding? I'd come to see you anytime I can, Ash. You're my best friend, aside from Brock."

Ash smiled and thanked her before making his way over to the table that had some envelopes containing birthday cards alongside his birthday cake. Each year his mother would always make a good cake for his birthday and it always tasted great. He grabbed himself a slice and took a bite of it. The familiar sweet taste met his tongue and a large grin made its way across his face. He looked around the room and was feeling elated as he was surrounded by family and friends. However, there was one person missing that he always hoped would come and drop in and that was his father.

The thought of his father dampened his mood a little bit and he frowned as he looked down at his cake. The last time he saw his father was when he was five and the last birthday present he got from his dad was the autographed trader card of Specter. He let a sigh escape his lips which caught the attention of Misty. She could see the disappointed look on Ash's face and sat beside him.

"Are you okay, Ash?" Misty asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ash lied as he forced a smile as he looked at Misty.

Misty wasn't buying it and she raised an eyebrow at him. Knowing that she knew he was lying, Ash decided to tell her the truth.

"Alright you got me," Ash said as he put the last piece of his cake in his mouth. "I'm a little bummed out actually."

"Why are you bummed out? This is your special day. It's your birthday and you have your friends and family with you," Misty replied.

"Not all of my family."

Misty's brow furrowed as she thought about who he was referring to and then it hit her. He was talking about his father. Misty didn't know much about Ash's father outside of the story Delia told her, but she could understand where Ash was coming from.

"Ash, I'm sure your dad knows it's your birthday and he has probably sent you something," Misty said trying to cheer him up.

"I honestly don't care if he sent me something," Ash said with a shrug. "All I want is to see him again or at least get some letter from him."

Misty wrapped Ash up in a hug which he returned with a small smile. She was glad she was able to cheer Ash up a little bit at the intimate gesture.

"Hey, Ash, why don't you open some of those cards on the table?" Delia suggested.

"Good idea, Mom," Ash agreed as he stood up and went to pick up a card.

The first card he grabbed read 'Ashy-boy' on it to which Ash smirked as he recognized Gary's signature nickname for him. He opened the card and read it and laughed at the humor inside of it.

_"Good luck in the tournament, Ashy-boy! Make Pallet Town proud to have produced a champion!"_

Ash thanked Gary for the card and set it down before moving on to the next one. It was concealed inside a pink envelope and had his name in cursive writing on it. He could tell it was Misty's handwriting and quickly opened it to see the card. His eyes scanned the card as he read it and his face reddened a little bit after finishing it.

_"Ash, you will do great at the tournament and I know that you will win. Stay confident and fight like you did when you battled Lily last week! Love, Misty."_

Ash smiled at Misty and she smiled back in return. He picked up the next card that was addressed from Brock and read it. The information that he found inside excited him and he gave Brock a thumbs up. He would be working at the Pokémon World Tournament as part of an internship job as breeder, so he would be able to hang out with Ash over the summer.

"Going to be just like old times, Brocko," Ash said as he set down the card.

"You bet!" Brock replied with a nod.

One by one, Ash went through the rest of the cards and each one held nothing but encouraging words for the upcoming tournament and birthday wishes. He placed the final card beside the others and thanked his friends for stopping in. Delia was going through the mail and paused as she read a letter that was addressed to Ash. Her eyes widened when she recognized the writing and she glanced back at Ash who was talking with his friends about his intense training sessions and how psyched up he was for the tournament.

_"Joel, you finally sent something back!"_ Delia thought as she covered her mouth.

"Is something wrong, Delia?" Oak asked as he looked at her.

Delia said nothing and showed him the envelope with Ash's name on it. Oak's reaction was similar to Delia's and he looked at her in surprise.

"Does Ash know that Joel sent him that yet?" Oak whispered.

"No. I'm honestly not sure if I should do it here with everyone around. I'm a little worried it may turn his good mood into a sour one," Delia whispered back.

"That's understandable, but I would recommend you let him see that before the day is done."

"I will. I'll just wait until everyone leaves."

Oak nodded and walked back over to Tracy and Gary to continue a discussion regarding the lab. Delia tucked the envelope back into the stack of mail and walked into the kitchen and placed it on the table. She walked back into the living room and started to clean up the table, but unbeknownst to her, Ash had seen her little exchange with Oak. Ash excused himself from his friends to go into the kitchen and search for the letter. He found the letter between some bills and pulled it out and walked back into the living room.

Ash opened the letter and started to read the card in front of his friends. With each passing sentence, his eyes grew wider. After reading the excerpt on the birthday card his mind went blank. Wanting to make sure that he wasn't dreaming, Ash read the letter again. As he did, he felt a mix of emotions, mainly anger and happiness. He felt angry that his father didn't come to visit in person, and then happy that his father sent him something on his birthday for the first time in years.

_Ash,_

_It's been a long time since we last talked and I know you are probably feeling a mixture of emotions right now at reading this, but I just wanted to wish you a happy 15th birthday. Man, you've just grown bigger and stronger as a trainer throughout the years, haven't you? I've seen you battle at the leagues and I am very proud of how you did, Ash. You and I will need to have a battle when I see you again. I am sorry I couldn't be there for your birthday, buddy, but something came up that prevented me from coming. I know there aren't any words to express my apologies for not being there as you grew into the young man that you are, but I want you to know that I do love you. I also heard from a little birdie that you will be participating in the Pokémon World Tournament. I was so proud to hear that you got into that tournament and I will be sure to watch you as you participate in it. I wish you well, Ash. Good luck._

_Love Dad, Joel Novak_

Ash lowered the letter and could feel everyone's eyes on him. He looked around and gave a smile as he held up the card. He noticed picture was attached to the card and pulled it off. He flipped the picture over and almost dropped it in surprise when he was what it was of. The picture was of him standing on the field facing Tobias just before their battle took place. His father was at the tournament itself and watched him partake in it. A little note was written on the back of it that read, 'Ash's first top four appearance' which was all it took for Ash to smile again.

_"He never left. He was always there,"_ Ash thought as he looked at the floor.

"Who's the card from, Ash?" May asked.

"It's from my dad," Ash replied as he looked at everybody. "He wished me well in the tournament and said happy birthday."

* * *

**Well, that's the chapter everybody. I hope you all enjoyed it with the action along with the short backstory on Delia and Joel. Now I know some of you are going to say something like, "Why isn't his last name Ketchum?" or "Giovanni is Ash's dad!", don't do that. I did what I did for a reason and I'll explain my counter arguments for both. The first being that Bulbapedia never states that Ash's parents were married and could have been boyfriend and girlfiend when Ash was born, thus giving both parents different last names. Now with Giovanni being Ash's dad, I'll poke a hole in that logic. If you watched any of the latest episodes of the pokemon anime, Ash and Giovanni encountered each other and neither of them showed any signs of knowing each other. You'd imagine that Ash would know his own father when he sees him and show some level of emotion.**

**Now Joel will be a major character later as the story goes on, but I did what I intended by introducing him a little bit through Delia and the letter. I hope you're all ready for the tournament to begin as it will start with the next chapter. Well, that's all I have for you so until next time, I'll see you later. Be sure to check out the stories below along with the rant of the day.-CaptainPrice**

**CaptainPrice's rant of the day: This is not to offend anybody, but to provide a thought that many others possibly share.**

**How many of you authors reading this have received a review along the lines of, "Good chapter!", "Well done!", "Interesting chapter.", "Good chapter, update soon!" I have and I have to be blatantly honest. I have a love/hate feel for them. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all reviews I get, including those ones. However, I am disappointed when I get those kinds too. Reason being is because they don't exactly say what was supposedly good, great or interesting about the chapter to keep as a sustain or give any form of criticism for improvement. To me those aren't reviews since they don't tell you anything and they make me scratch my head and wonder if those that said that truly read the chapter. I like reviews where the reviewer can tell me what they liked or thought was interesting and give me tips for improvement towards my writing and those reviews that give those simple words don't cut. To those that do leave reviews like that, let me be clear. Myself and other authors like them, but maybe just try to give more information besides that, you know? While we enjoy those reviews, they lack the thing we are looking for and that is critique to help us improve as writers altogether. **

**Support OCs:**

**1.) Ryuu Sinclair (Tendou Souji)**

**2.) Danny McBride (HP-DG-SB-HA-RR-KB-NT-TD-LL-LJ) **

**3.) William Mercurious (ZachMercurious)**

**4.) Yue Wang (Bluemagesfairytail)**

**5.) Claire Atwood (Gentle Blossom)**

**6.) Jayleen Okido (FiammaJoule)**

**Story Shoutouts:**

**"The Pokemon World League" by The Fan Fiction Writer**

**The elite echelon of the world's trainers gather to determine the very first World Champion. Rated T for safety, expect political undertones and themes. OC's readily accepted.**

**"Rise of the Hybrids" by CaptainPrice**

** Pokemon and humans have been interacting as far back as anyone can remember. Now, a new discovery by researches will bring them closer together than ever before. The gene that few can awaken has been targeted for profit and gain by governments and their goal is to create the ultimate super soldier. It's only a matter of time before desperate measures will be taken to ensure that it can be done.**

**"One Soul Two Visages" by Tendou Souji**

**Assigned a task by the goddess of death, Reaper saw fit to exploit a loophole during a bout of nonchalance. His opportunistic mind beckoning him, he broke down the barriers between dimensions and plucked out random soul to carry out the task in his place. A discover that everything is preordained shall be reached, for the soul's identity all but shatters the thought of chance.**


	14. Fire It Up

**Hey all, I'm back with another update. My apologies this was not out last week but I was finishing finals, so there you go. Now that I'm done, I managed to get this out to you. I would like to thank all of you for the continued support for reading the story. I now have 193 reviews, 20,445 hits, 2 C2s, 116 favs, and 115 alerts. Thank you all for being awesome! Now I mentioned every OC in this chapter that was submitted to the story but I'm not showing all of them. I implore you to read the author's note at the end along with the story shout outs and points I wish to address. Now let's get to the chapter!**

**Chapter Summary: Ash leaves home early to get to the Indigo Plateau for the opening ceremony of the Pokémon World Tournament. After arriving, Ash has an encounter with two familiar faces from his past journey.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

**New Opening: "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" by the Offspring/New Ending: "Face To the Floor" by Chevelle**

* * *

Ash's eyes fluttered open as his alarm went off. His hand shut off the annoying buzz and he sat up and rubbed his eyes after giving a stretch. Today was the day he would head to the Indigo Plateau to be ready for the opening ceremony at midnight. He had packed his bag the night before and was really excited to get moving. He hopped out of bed and walked over to his desk and picked up the set of clothes that his mother gave him for his birthday. As he looked at the clothes, he was having a hard time from letting a smile spread across his face.

The new attire he had consisted of a new pair of blue denim jeans, a grey t-shirt, a black and grey jacket that resembled his old one that he wore through Kanto and Johto, and last but not least, a new hat. The hat was an older version of the official Pokémon League hat, and the color was black instead of the usual red and white. The hat, however, was Ash's favorite addition because it belonged to his father when he traveled through Kanto when he was a kid.

"I'm glad that dad didn't sell this hat. These could go for a lot of money now," Ash said as he put it on.

Pikachu yawned as he hopped up to the desk and looked at Ash. He gave a nod in approval at Ash's new apparel. Ash picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulders and looked outside. The sun was starting to rise and it was time for him to get to Viridian City so he could take the bus. Pikachu jumped up to his shoulder and had an excited look plastered on his face.

"Ready to roll, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he walked towards the stairs.

"Pi!" Pikachu nodded back.

Ash smirked and scratched Pikachu's head before heading downstairs. As he reached the front door, he heard something from behind him. Turning around, Ash came face to face with his mother who was currently wearing her nightgown. She had gotten up early to see him off.

"Ash Ketchum, you weren't thinking about leaving without saying goodbye, were you?" Delia asked as she put her hands on her hips.

"Uh, no," Ash replied with a sheepish grin as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Good."

Delia walked up to him and wrapped him in a hug which he happily returned. Pikachu, feeling left out, wrapped his arms around their heads. Delia giggled and rubbed Pikachu's head in a farewell.

"Good luck in the tournament, honey. Just do what you do best and you'll do fine," Delia whispered as she broke away.

"I will, Mom," Ash said with a nod, "I'm going to win this!"

"That's the attitude I like to see. I'll be sure to come and cheer you on."

Ash smiled at his mother and turned on his heel to leave the house. As he opened the door, his mother called out to him once again.

"Did you pack clean underwear?"

"Mom!" Ash groaned back.

Delia laughed and waved goodbye as he shut the door.

* * *

Ash pulled out Charizard's Poké Ball and threw it into the air and it opened with a loud snap. Charizard materialized before him and gave a stretch as he released a stream of fire into the air. He looked down at Ash who had a determined look on his face and knew that it was time to get to work. He lowered himself down and allowed Ash and Pikachu to hop on.

"Let's head to Viridian City, Charizard," Ash said as he gave him a pat on the side.

Charizard gave a roar and flapped his wings, sending them high into the sky. Upon reaching the desired altitude, Charizard began soaring in the direction of Viridian City. The sun was still rising and Ash could see the distant farmland coming up. Looking down, Ash could see some herds of Miltank walking through an open pasture. He remembered his encounter with Derek a week back and was wondering if he was getting ready to start his day on his farm. As his eyes continued scanning the vast fields, they caught sight of something taking off from the ground a few farms away.

_"What's that?"_ Ash wondered as he saw the fast mover.

His answer came when he saw the pokémon surface above the clouds further ahead. He squinted to try and get a better visual, but all he could make out was a large and bulky figure. Wanting to investigate the pokémon even further, he got Charizard's attention and pointed at the pokémon ahead of them.

"Hey, Charizard, let's go see what that is," Ash said with a grin.

Charizard gave a nod and adjusted his wings to let the wind carry him quicker. As they got closer and closer to the bulky flying pokémon, Ash could see an additional figure riding on top of it. The pokémon that was carrying the person was a Dragonite and that caught his interest fairly quick. It wasn't until he was beside the Dragonite that he identified the person riding it to be none other than Derek.

"Hey, Derek!" Ash called as he and Charizard flew beside him.

Derek turned to see him with a look of surprise and he smirked back as he waved.

"How's it going, Ash?" Derek asked.

"I'm doing great! What about you?" Ash replied.

"Can't complain. So what are you doing here?"

"I'm heading to Viridian City. I'm going to take a bus to the Indigo Plateau for the Pokémon World Tournament."

"Really? Well, I guess you and I had the same idea."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm participating in the tournament too. So I guess that means we'll be competing to be the top dog."

Ash smirked at Derek and he returned it with his own. As they flew side by side, Ash started to grow bored and decided to have some fun. He turned to Derek with a gambling look in his eyes which Derek noticed and raised a brow in curiosity.

"Hey, Derek, you wanna race to the bus stop in Viridian City?" Ash asked.

"Your Charizard against my Dragonite?" Derek replied.

"Yeah, or are you too chicken?"

"Get ready to lose."

It all happened so fast. Both trainers sped off after Derek agreed to the contest and soared towards the city with insane speed. For his part, Derek was rather surprised of how fast Ash's Charizard was to keep up with his Dragonite, which their species was known for flying faster than 1500 miles an hour. Not wanting to lose, Derek decided to break away from Ash as he saw the city coming into view.

"I'll see you at the bus stop, Ash!" Derek said giving a two fingered salute.

Dragonite gave a roar as Derek tapped his sides with his boots and sped off with phenomenal speed. Ash was stunned at Dragonite's speed and exchanged looks of surprise with Pikachu and Charizard.

"That Dragonite's fast, huh?" Ash asked them.

His two partners could only nod in agreement as they continued flying towards the city.

* * *

Ash, Charizard and Pikachu began to descend into the city as they entered it. They continued to do so until Charizard came to a stop outside the Pokémon Center. He decided to head inside to get a quick breakfast for the road since he had not eaten anything yet. Returning Charizard to his ball, Ash walked into the Pokémon Center with Pikachu sitting perched on his shoulder. Upon entering the building, the inviting breakfast aroma entered his nostrils and made him drool. His feet carried him to the small cafeteria to the side of the lobby where breakfast was being served. Seeing his options, Ash decided to go with a few breakfast bagels and scooped them up. As he pulled out his wallet to pay for bagels, a voice got his attention.

"Does anything look good to eat this morning?"

Ash turned to his left and saw a young man standing beside him. The male was relatively thin and stood just an inch shorter than Ash. He had pale skin, bright blonde hair and icy blue eyes. He was wearing a yellow t-shirt, blue jeans and a violet beanie with a Poké Ball print on it.

"Yeah, couldn't you tell from the smell?" Ash replied with a smirk.

"I guess. I'm just trying to decide what to get," the boy replied as he looked at the vast assortment of food.

"Well, if you're in a hurry, I'd recommend the breakfast bagel. They're really good and they'll fill you up."

"Thanks."

Ash walked over to the cashier to purchase his bagels while the boy picked a couple of them up himself. After paying the required amount, Ash made for the exit to start his trek to the bus stop and meet up again with Derek. He heard some hurried footsteps and could see the boy jog up to him from the corner of his eye. The two of them left the Pokémon Center in silence, making it awkward for Ash. Usually if someone hurried up to another, they wanted to discuss something, but this boy wasn't saying anything.

"So what's your name?" Ash asked, trying to make conversation.

"I'm Tony Miller," Tony replied, "what about you? What's your name?"

"Ash Ketchum. Nice to meet you, Tony."

Ash held out his hand and Tony shook it, but he was a little hesitant at doing so. He took a bite out of his bagel and savored the taste as it hit his tongue. He raised it to his shoulder and let Pikachu take a bite of it as well.

"So what are you doing up this early?" Tony asked.

"I'm getting ready to catch a bus to the Indigo Plateau. I'm participating in the Pokémon World Tournament," Ash answered with a grin.

"Oh, really? So am I!"

"Awesome, I guess that means we'll be seeing hanging out for a while then."

"Yeah."

The two rounded the corner and saw the bus stop halfway down the block. From his spot, Ash could see a couple of people and identified one of them as Derek due to his Pikachu being perched on his shoulders. The second one was Lily Evans, whom he battled the week beforehand and he immediately came to the conclusion that she was participating in the tournament as well which made upped his excitement even further. The last member of the group was another girl that caught his eye.

The girl was fairly tall, standing at five foot eleven. She had a curvy body and athletic appearance. Her skin was pale that ended up drawing attention to her two more notable features being her waist length blue hair that had an ahoge at the top, and her dark eyes. She was wearing a dark blue cardigan with a white tank top underneath it, black skinny jeans and black combat boots, black rimmed spectacles, and a necklace with a moon symbol. Upon closer observation, she was holding a case containing an instrument while her bag was hanging freely on her back.

Ash and Tony walked up to the group and gained their attention. Derek and Lily greeted the two of them while the other girl spared them a glance and resumed looking down the road.

"Aw, dude, you didn't pick one up for me?" Derek asked pointing at the bagel.

"Do I look like your maid?" Ash replied with a raised brow.

"No, but something tells me that you could probably wear a maid outfit and pull it off well."

Ash pinched the bridge of his nose and looked at the ground to prevent Derek and Lily from seeing his red face. He had cross-dressed a few times in the past and it was something that he did not like doing and the last thing he wanted to do was give them ammo for blackmail. Lily and Derek looked at each other and then back at Ash who turned away and took another bite of his bagel, dropping the previous conversation. Noticing the new face to group, Lily looked at Tony and decided to greet him.

"Hey, I'm Lily," Lily said, holding out her hand. "What's your name?"

"I'm Tony," Tony said shifting a little bit.

"I'm Derek," Derek said with a two fingered wave, "nice to meet you."

Tony smiled a little bit as he talked to Derek and Lily. The two of them seemed like friendly people that he could talk to without having to worry about them being complete jerks. He glanced behind them and looked at the taller girl.

"What's your name?" Tony asked.

"You're wasting your breath there, dude. Alfalfa over there doesn't talk," Derek replied.

"Alfalfa?"

"Have you ever seen the Little Rascals?"

"No."

Derek blinked and dragged a hand down his face at his joke failing, gaining a giggle from Lily and a confused look from Tony. Ash finished eating his bagel and walked over to them. Pikachu looked at Derek's Pikachu, Chief, and waved. Chief waved back with just as much enthusiasm and jumped off his perch. Pikachu and Chief started chasing each other around as they waited for the bus to come.

"So what's your name?" Ash asked, looking at the girl.

"If I tell you, will you leave me alone?" the girl replied with a rather thick accent.

"You have my word."

"My name is Viola Shalvick."

"It's nice to meet you."

Viola said nothing and turned away again after giving her name. The rude display got looks of disapproval from Derek, Lily and Tony. Shaking their heads, they looked down the road to see if the bus was coming. The familiar roar of the bus engine echoed up the road as it rounded the street corner and started making its way to the bus stop. It came to a stop and the doors opened, allowing the five trainers on board. The doors closed and the bus started to move towards the west to the Indigo Plateau. It came to a stop when the driver saw two more figures running up from behind. The doors to the bus opened once again and allowed the two newcomers on.

"Can I see your passes please?" The bus driver asked the two of them.

"Sure," said the tall male, holding out his pass.

"William Mercurious of Cerulean City. Take your seat please."

William nodded and sat down in the seat before Ash. The other passenger, a tiny girl, held her pass up next. The bus driver scanned the pass and handed it back to her after sliding it through the reader.

"Yue Wang of Celadon City. You can take your seat," the bus driver said after scanning her card.

"Thank you," Yue replied with a brief bow as she sat in the next seat.

The bus gave a jerk as it started moving to the west and began the long drive towards the Indigo Plateau.

* * *

A plane was soaring high in the sky as it made its way to the Kanto Region. On board the plane was a fair amount of people heading to the region to do business, return home or take a vacation. It was fairly quiet on the plane as it was an early morning flight and a lot of the occupants on board were trying to gather whatever sleep they lost by getting up early that morning for the flight. There were a few people that were awake as well. One of them was Claire Atwood as she looked out the window at the endless sea.

She yawned and gave a stretch as she reclined a little in her chair. She ended up leaving from Petalburg City early yesterday to catch her flight that would make a trip to Sinnoh and then her next flight would take her to Kanto for the tournament. Her parents gave her a small farewell party as she prepared to leave. Her brothers had come home briefly to visit her before her departure and she was truly happy with the support she got, especially from her older brother, Nathaniel. Nathaniel was very proud of her achievement and gave her a special good luck charm in the form of a necklace with a small ruby.

"Good luck, huh?" Claire muttered as she held the gem with her fingertips, "I don't need luck. I'm too awesome for it!"

Nevertheless, Claire decided to humor Nathaniel and wear it throughout the tournament to see if this so called luck worked. She would have to truly test it, but she found it to be a joke. Giving a shrug, she was about to put it on but it was suddenly snatched from her fingers. The sudden act of theft made her eyes snap open as she searched for the culprit that took her necklace. Her eyes fell upon a Riolu that was sitting in the next section of seats and observing the ruby necklace with the utmost interest. Claire gave a growl as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

"Give that back you little turd!" Claire said as she lunged for the Riolu.

Riolu easily dodged her and jumped back a couple of rows giving a cackle. He twirled the necklace on his paw in a taunt and Claire's face turned red with anger. She jumped at Riolu again but he evaded her once more and laughed again as he began running up the aisle.

"Damn-it, come back here!" Claire yelled as she hurried after the Riolu.

Claire's outburst ended up causing some sleeping passengers to stir in their sleep and wake up. They were giving her irritated looks that she ignored as she focused on catching the little thief. Her chase gathered the attention of the crew as they came to diffuse the situation. No matter how hard Claire tried to corner the Riolu, it would escape her at the last second.

"Ma'am, we need you to take our seat. You're causing a disturbance and distracting the crew here," a flight attendant said.

"I'll take my seat when that Riolu gives back my necklace!" Claire shot back.

"We'll get your necklace, ma'am. Just sit down and we'll go get it for you."

"I don't need your help. Let me get it and I can sit down happy."

By this point, Claire had woken up the majority of the cabin who were all yelling and shouting at her to sit down and be quiet. Of course Claire didn't take too well to this as she started shouting back at them. The words that were leaving her lips would be something that one would hear from an angry sailor. A young man came through the curtain from the second class area and walked up to them.

"Sir, please return to your seat," the flight attendant said.

"Pardon my intrusion, but did you say that a Riolu stole your necklace?" The man asked.

"Yeah, now if you step aside I can go get it!" Claire retorted.

"I don't believe that's necessary."

Claire was about to ask the man why, but saw the reason when he gave a whistle. The Riolu came from his hiding spot and jumped up on the man's shoulders, twirling the necklace some more.

"That little runt belongs to you?" Claire asked, glaring at the man.

"Yes, and I do apologize for his behavior. He's a kleptomaniac," the man replied, taking the necklace from Riolu.

Claire snatched the necklace from the man and put it on to prevent the Riolu from taking it again. As she was putting it on, a blinding flash of light stunned her. Blinking away the spots from her vision, she could see the young man observing a photo on the camera.

"Who are you and why did you just do that?" Claire asked, rubbing her eyes.

"My name is Ryuu Sinclair and I'm a photographer," Ryuu replied, glancing up at her. "I find that having a camera on hand opens a door of opportunity to catch the events taking place in the world. I find it very interesting to observe the pictures I take as I try to form my own meaning as to why the event is happening in them."

"Everything you just said just glazed over me. Now let me tell you this. Keep that Riolu on a leash. If he tries to steal something from me again, I'm breaking that camera."

"I see. That too isn't necessary, but I suppose I can understand your frustration. I apologize for his behavior."

Ryuu gave a slight bow as an apology before turning to Riolu and shaking his head with a disappointed look. Claire sighed and rested her hands on her hips.

"I'm sorry too," Claire said, folding her arms. "I accept your apology. Just make sure that doesn't happen again."

"Thank you, Miss…" Ryuu said, inquiring for a name.

"Atwood. Claire Atwood."

"Well, Claire, it was interesting meeting you. Hopefully our paths will be under better circumstances next time."

Ryuu gave a final bow before turning on his heel and walking back to the second class section. Claire watched as Ryuu vanished from sight and sighed as she shook her head. She sat back down in her seat and rubbed her eyes. Someone nudged the back of her seat by accident and she turned around to see who caused the disturbance. Her eyes fell upon another teenage boy that was wearing a rather unusual outfit that looked as though it was from the medieval time. She raised a brow as she looked at him and wondered what compelled him to wear those clothes.

"Not a good way to enjoy a flight, huh?" The boy asked.

"Huh?" Claire asked looking at him.

"Chasing a Riolu after it stole something from you. It's not fun, is it?"

"Yeah, you're telling me."

"I'm Danny."

"I'm Claire."

Danny raised his gloved hand for Claire to shake which she did without hesitation. She gave him a friendly smile to which he blushed and turned away.

"So what are you going to the Kanto region for?" Claire asked.

"I'm going to compete in a tournament at the Indigo Plateau," Danny answered with a smile. "What about you?"

"Same here!"

Danny was a little surprised at the level of excitement that Claire was showing but smiled again. This flight would definitely be an enjoyable one as he talked to his newfound friend.

* * *

Ash was practically bouncing in his seat as he saw the Indigo Plateau come into view. The large stadium was off in the distance and surrounded by some small housing districts and hotels for the participants. He could see multiple kiosks and people in the street, no doubt preparing for the tournament's opening festival. The bus turned and came to a stop just before the closed off street. The doors opened and he and Pikachu immediately bounded off the bus and took in their surroundings.

A large grin formed on both of their faces as they felt their excitement rise to new levels. He couldn't wait for the tournament to start so he could get to battling.

"Come on, Pikachu! Let's go take a look around!" Ash said, holding out his arm.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed as he climbed up Ash's arm.

They took off down the road and ran to the stadium, not bothering to wait for Derek, Tony or Lily. He could meet up with them later, but right now he just wanted to see the stadium after not seeing it since the end of his first journey. He heard that they ended tearing part of it down and made some modifications to house more spectators and additional screens to view battles and ongoing stats for battles taking place in the side stadiums. As he reached the outside of the stadium he found that the iron gates were closed to block anyone from entering. He was a little bummed out since he wanted to sneak a look at the stadium before the opening ceremony, but they closed off the gates to allow the final preparations to be made.

"Bummer," Ash muttered, "I wanted to see the changes."

"Pi," Pikachu nodded.

"I guess we'll have to wait until midnight."

Unknown to Ash, another person had shown up behind him. The new presence caught Pikachu's attention as his ears twitched. He glanced over his shoulder and a look of surprise came upon his face. He poked Ash's head to get his attention and pointed behind him. Ash turned around and his eyes widened briefly before a smirk spread across his face. Standing before him was his old rival, Paul.

"Hey, Paul, what are you doing here?" Ash asked as he walked up to him.

"I got invited to participate in the tournament," Paul said with a shrug.

Paul still looked the same since Ash last saw him. His shoulder length purple hair appeared a little longer from the last time they saw each other and he still wore the same outfit from his Sinnoh travels.

"I guess you were invited too, eh?" Paul asked with a smirk.

"You know it! I'm really psyched for this to start up!" Ash replied.

"You're still as energetic as ever."

Ash, for his part, was enjoying the small talk with Paul. It seems as though his victory against him in the Sinnoh League was enough to gain his respect. Before that, they were always at each other's throats, determined to beat the other to be top dog.

"So what have you been up to this past month?" Ash asked.

"I've just been keeping my team's skill up to date. I also went to face Brandon again," Paul replied.

"Wait, you fought Brandon again? How'd that go?"

Ash remembered back to when Paul fought Brandon back at Snowpoint City and how he was defeated badly. It was all because of his brother Reggie that he did it and that was where Ash was able to see the reason why Paul was bent on power.

"I beat him," Paul said with a somewhat smug look.

"You did? Well, congratulations on doing so," Ash said, with a grin, "did you beat him on your second attempt?"

"No. I beat him on my third. I came close on the second try, but Electivire just ran out of steam."

"So you won on your third try? I see."

"Electivire managed to get a well-placed Brick Break on Regice."

"Nice job. So where's the Brave Symbol that Brandon gave you?"

"I don't have it."

Ash cocked his head and crossed his arms as he looked at Paul. His expression demanded some clarification and Paul enlightened him.

"I don't have the symbol because I gave it to Reggie. Now he has all the symbols from the Battle Frontier," Paul said as he tucked his hands in his pockets.

"Wow, what did he say when you gave it to him?" Ash replied.

"He was too surprised to say anything after I gave it to him, so I left after doing that."

The two of them fell silent after Paul told Ash that last bit of information. Paul looked at the stadium and was absorbed in memories past as he looked at it. This was where the end of his first journey as a trainer was and he remembered feeling accomplished after finishing in the top sixteen and placing ninth. His mind clicked as he remembered the other thing he wanted to ask Ash.

"Did you happen to see Barry around here?" Paul asked.

"Wait, Barry's here too?" Ash replied.

"I think so. At least that's what it sounded like when I read this message he sent me."

Paul pulled out his phone and showed Ash the text message that Barry sent him. From the way the message looked, Ash believed Barry was either psyched up or multitasking due to the misspellings and jumbled text, but he was able to decipher it.

"Heading to the tournament at the Indigo Plateau."

"I couldn't tell if he was trying to tell me that he was going or if he was asking if I was going," Paul said with a shrug as he tucked his phone away.

"Well if he's here, I'm sure we'll bump into him sooner or later," Ash replied as he rested his hands on the back of his head.

"You're probably right."

A loudspeaker kicked in and a voice reverberated around the street, gathering Ash and Paul's attention.

**"All arriving trainers, please report to the registration building to check in and receive your housing assignments,"** the voice said.

"Did you register yet?" Paul asked.

"No. Did you?" Ash answered.

"I already did. You should go take care of that before you forget. The last thing I need is for you not to show up to our rematch because you forgot to check in."

Ash smirked and rolled his eyes as he started to walk away. He gave Paul a wave goodbye and made his way to the registration building towards the road.

Ash arrived inside the building and made his way to one of the open desks. He pulled out his ID for the receptionist to clarify it and check him in. The woman took his ID and he took the chance to glance around the building. He could see various trainers standing in line and waiting their turn to register for the league. He could find no trace of Barry, Derek, Lily, Tony or even Viola. He assumed that they already registered and went to drop their belongings off at their assigned rooms.

"Mr. Ketchum, you are now checked in. Here is your key," the receptionist said as she handed him a key card and a brass key, "you're in the Red Hotel, room 309. Please enjoy your stay."

"I will. Thank you," Ash replied as he took the keys.

He placed the keys in his pocket and departed the building in search of his hotel. Scanning the buildings down the block, he could see large four large towering structures, one red, one yellow, one green and one blue. His legs started to carry him to the large buildings and he couldn't wait to get a quick nap in. As Ash stopped outside of the red hotel, he took a moment to look at the impressive building.

The building seemed to stretch up into the limitless sky. Countless windows lined up for each floor and they complimented the red brick siding. There were stone columns that led to the double door entrance that had a Poké Ball statue on top of each one. The creativity of the hotel made Ash nod in satisfaction at the design and he walked up to the doors. When he entered the lobby, it was filled with trainers standing around and talking to each other.

"Hey, Ash!" Tony hollered.

Ash turned and saw Tony hurry up to him with a grin on his face. He smiled and gave a wave in greeting.

"So you're in the Red Hotel too, eh?" Tony asked.

"Yeah," Ash replied with a nod, "who else is here?"

"I think it's just you, me and that Viola girl."

"What about Lily and Derek?"

"Lily's in the Blue Hotel and Derek said something about staying at his house."

"He's going back home?"

"No, he said his family has a house a few blocks from here and he'd be staying there."

"Oh, okay."

Ash yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"Well, I'm going to go and crash for a bit. I'll see you later, Tony," Ash said as he walked to the elevator.

"See you later!" Tony replied.

Ash stepped into the elevator and took it up to the third floor. He stepped out and walked down the hall looking at each door to find his room. After traversing the corridor, he reached the end and found a room reading 309. He unlocked the door and entered the room, closing the door behind him. The room itself was fairly large for a single person. The room had a small living area and a mini kitchen with a table. There was a bathroom to the right of the entrance and a small hallway led to the bedroom.

"Wow, they really went all out on these rooms, huh?" Ash asked Pikachu.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded before giving a yawn.

Ash set his bag down against the couch and lounged on it. He picked up the TV remote and turned on the television to turn it to the Pokémon Battle Network. He decided to watch some possible pregame coverage for the tournament and any battles that may be on. His head began to droop as he tried to watch TV, but he ultimately lost the battle and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Ash awoke several hours later after his nap and decided to go stretch his legs. He still had an hour until the opening ceremony commenced and decided to see if the stadium was open for viewing. He and Pikachu went to the stadium like they did earlier to see that it was now allowing people to come and go as they pleased. The two of them entered the massive venue and walked down the long hallway that would lead to the battlefield. As they reached the end of the hall, the blinding stadium lights hit them and illuminated the entire stadium for the eye to see.

The stadium did look a bit different since the last time Ash stepped foot in it. He could see new seating sections as well as new rows of seats to the stands. He looked up toward the ceiling and saw two new large monitors on either side of the main one that would display additional information on battles taking place or the leaderboard of trainers. One major feature that caught Ash's eye was the new roof that would permit it to close over the stadium to prevent inclement weather from delaying a match. Ash looked at Pikachu and grinned.

"This looks sweet, doesn't it?" Ash asked.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu nodded as he continued looking around the stadium.

He took another look around and could see some people getting their seats ready for the opening ceremony which would be starting up soon. He was not sure how big of a crowd there would be, but judging from the amount of people he saw around the streets, chances are it would be a full house. Fans and members of the participants' family would be the biggest part of the audience tonight without question.

"Hey, Ash!" Derek said, getting his attention.

Ash turned to see Derek and his Pikachu, Chief, walking up to them. Pikachu gave Chief a friendly wave as a greeting and he replied with one of his own.

"What's up?" Ash asked.

"Not much. I decided to drop in and take a look at the stadium. This is the first time I stepped foot in it in eight years," Derek replied.

"I guess you and I had the same idea. I mainly came to see how much it changed after they added on to it. It looks pretty cool."

"You got that right."

The screens activated and started to show various locations from outside the stadium. The images transitioned to inside the stadium and each screen took up their own name. One screen had the names of the participants, the next remained blue as it would show the main field as the ceremony was carried out, and the last screen was playing clips from various battles on a loop.

"It looks like we'll be starting this up soon," Derek said as he looked at the screens.

"Good, I'm psyched!" Ash said clapping his hands.

The stadium was now starting to fill up with more people and the stands were beginning to get cramped as the filled up. Some trainers were now entering the field and standing around as they waited for the PA to kick in and greet everybody. Ash and Derek continued to watch as trainer after trainer entered the stadium from the hallway. From the looks of it, it appeared the amount of contestants would equal that of a standard league of about two hundred or more. Both of them recognized some faces upon those that entered. They saw Tony enter behind Lily and Viola showed up a few minutes later.

"Looks like everyone is here," Ash said as he saw them.

"Just about," Derek replied with a nod.

Tony and Lily spotted Ash and Derek and walked over to them.

"Are you guys ready to start this?" Lily asked with a smirk.

"I was born ready," Ash said, smirking right back.

"That's good. All of these trainers here are really tough, so that should fire you up."

The crowd began to roar with applause as the timer on the center screen was nearing zero. It was almost time for the ceremony to start and every trainer on the field was trembling with excitement. The stadium lights dimmed down a little to allow the spotlights to turn on and shine on the beacon. This made a hush come over the audience as they waited for the beacon to be lit. It was so silent that if a pin were dropped, it would be heard around the whole stadium.

**"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the opening ceremony of the Pokémon World Tournament here at the Indigo Plateau. At this time, the beacon will be lit by the Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia Smith,"** the announcer said.

The spotlights moved to the back of the crowd of trainers and fixated on Cynthia who was holding a torch. A roar of applause followed as she made her way to the altar. She had her trademark smile as she gave a friendly wave to the crowd. Reaching the beacon, Cynthia touched the flames to it and it ignited in a flash, signaling the start of the Pokémon World Tournament. Another wave of applause filled the stadium as Cynthia walked back down to the field and stood in the center in front of the crowd of trainers.

**"Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, please give a warm welcome to the man that made this possible. He's the president of the Pokémon League and the first winner of the Pokémon World Tournament, Charles Goodshow!"** The announcer said with as much excitement as possible.

The stadium roared with applause as the spotlight shone upon Charles Goodshow who had been standing off to the side. Despite his age, Charles never dressed it. He still dressed like his younger self when he was still a trainer. He was wearing brown tennis shoes, green cargo shorts, a red jacket and a dark blue cap that was backwards. Charles had a jubilant expression and a lot of life in his stride as he walked over to Cynthia and stood beside her. He pulled out a microphone and turned it on so he could speak to the trainers in front of him.

"Good evening to everybody!" Charles greeted, "where are all my trainers at?"

He held the microphone to the large crowd of trainers on the field and got a barrage of cheers and whistles. Charles grinned and gave a hearty laugh as he got such a boisterous response.

"That's what I like to hear! Welcome to the annual Pokémon World Tournament! This is where all of you will battle each other to be crowned the strongest trainer in the world!" Charles said with just as much energy.

The big monitor started playing battles from each of the latest leagues. Ash, Tony, Lily and Derek were looking at the large screen and found themselves absorbed in the potential their fellow trainers had. Before the screen transitioned to another battle, it came to Ash's battle against Tobias and it showed the tail end bit with Pikachu using Volt Tackle through Latios' Luster Purge. The screen then showed the names and miniature portraits of all the trainers that registered in the league.

"I would like to take this time to point out the top trainers for this year's tournament," Charles said as he turned to the screen and watched the names shuffle around.

One by one each name lined up in descending order. When the names finished sorting themselves out, people started looking around at the other participants to try and locate them.

Tobias Sullivan

Specter

Ash Ketchum

Paul Henderson

Ritchie Busch

Barry Anderson

Derek Fiers

Viola Shalvick

Jeffery Gibbs

Nelson Hicks

Daisy Oda

Ryuu Sinclair

Kate Hikari

Claire Atwood

Orion McKenna

Leonard Wortham

Chase Gasnier

Kaito Hironori

Lily Evans

Jason Phoenix

Haruto Yoshizawa

Gage Alous

Alexia Cerelia

Zane Blackwood

Maaya Yoshida

Tori West

Wulfreign Vonvader

Daphne Smitty

Lily Hale

Kariya Oakenthorn

Nathaniel Murphy

James McLeod Jr.

William Mercurious

Yue Wang

Tony Miller

Rosemary Hollins

Tommy Walker

Jin Kensei

Harrison Ryder

Samuel Kindle

Varina Elspeth

Jeff Carmine

Matthew Ebornheart

Carlos Del Grove

Kirin Ryuuzetsu

Danny McBride

Jake Washington

Soul Wildfire

Corey Spina

Carly Riordon

Richard Ironfield

Arielle Rose

Jayleen Okido

Michael Shadow

The names were all shown and those particular trainers could feel the heated stares coming from their future opponents that would do everything in their power to knock them out of the tournament. The screen went blank and Charles turned around with a smile on his face after he looked at the sea of trainers before him. It was now time to release them and prepare for the first event that would start tomorrow in the early afternoon.

"For those trainers that were on the screen there, I hope you all have been training hard," Charles said, "at this time this completes the opening ceremony. All trainers will report here at 9 A.M. to get ready for the first event. Now before we go, I would like to introduce you to two trainers that may be people of interest to battle."

"Who do you think they are?" Ash asked, looking at Tony, Lily and Derek.

"I don't know, but if Mr. Goodshow is recommending battling them for a challenge, I'm definitely taking up the chance," Tony said with a grin.

"Same here!" Lily agreed.

Charles and Cynthia turned to look back at the large monitor and waited for the names to appear on screen. The first one was Specter which Ash felt was a given. Specter was deemed to be one of the strongest trainers that the Pokémon League had ever seen. The screen then showed Specter standing in the middle of the large crowd, not too far from where Ash and his friends were standing. He was wearing brown boots, dark blue denim jeans, a black long sleeve shirt, a black trench coat and his signature black mask with red eyed lenses. More cheers erupted from the audience as the veteran trainer was introduced. Specter gave a brief wave as a greeting.

"I can't wait to battle him," Ash said as he and Pikachu both looked at Specter.

"You might be on a long waiting list," Derek mused. "Everyone here will want a chance to battle that guy."

"Well I'll be the first to battle him then."

Ash continued looked at Specter and wondered how strong he was compared to Tobias. He had seen some of Specter's pokémon on old battles from the Pokémon Battle Network and knew they were strong, but he was curious as to how much his team changes from seven years ago. As Ash was lost in his thoughts, Charles took the chance to introduce the second trainer.

"Now this next trainer is the son of a former Kanto champion, so that should make it interesting. If anything, he has more than likely been trained by his father to battle all trainers alike and has a track record similar to his," Charles said as he and Cynthia turned up to the screen.

The monitor flickered to life once again and scanned the audience. Finally, it landed on Derek and zoomed in on him. As that happened, Derek could feel every stare upon him and was cursing Charles for putting a bull's-eye over him. Derek raised a hand in greeting and looked down at the ground. He could feel Chief patting him gently on the back and reached up and scratched his friend's chin.

"Well, that's all I have for you lively bunch! Be sure to get some rest because you will need it for tomorrow!" Charles said, dismissing them with a wave.

* * *

Another loud roar of applause sounded as Charles dismissed the trainers from the ceremony. All the trainers started to file out of the stadium to return to their hotels and rest up for the first event tomorrow. Ash was walking beside Derek with Tony and Lily following close behind. Ever since Charles showed Derek on the monitor, he hadn't said a word.

"Derek, are you okay?" Lily asked.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it." Derek grunted back.

"Why didn't you tell us your dad was a former Kanto champion?" Ash asked.

Derek came to a halt so he could put a stop to the questions.

"I didn't want to draw attention to myself," Derek said as he crossed his arms.

All of them were about to ask further questions but stopped when Derek gave them a stern look, showing them that the conversation was over. Dropping the subject, they continued walking towards the hotels to turn in. They didn't get far when someone with a deep voice stopped them.

"It's been a while, Ash, Derek," the man said.

Ash and Derek both knew who the voice belonged to and turned around. Standing before the group was Tobias, wearing his traditional grey pants and shirt under his red cape. His visible eye was bearing into them and they sent back even stares. The older trainer walked up to the two of them and looked between them.

"I'm glad to see you both came to participate in the tournament," Tobias said with a smirk.

"You know it. I'm here to win this tournament and I won't lose to you this time!" Ash replied, smirking as well.

"That's good. I hope to battle the both of you again. Out of all the trainers I fought in the Sinnoh League, you two had a lot of tenacity and used it to battle me and gave me the best battles."

"Well, I'm going to give it everything I've got!"

Tobias turned to Derek to see if he had anything to add to the conversation. All he got was a glare in return and he knew the reason as to why. Derek's face relaxed a little bit and a small smirk worked its way across his face.

"You may have beaten me last time and I've learned from my mistakes since our last battle, but I won't let you beat me that easily. You can expect to have some of your pokémon taken down during our fight," Derek said with newfound vigor.

"I would expect as much from the son of a champion, Derek. So the both you better not disappoint me by being taken out early," Tobias replied as he turned on his heel and walked away.

Ash, Tony, Lily and Derek watched as Tobias walked into the crowds and vanished. Tony and Lily looked at their two friends and they both had determined looks on their faces. Derek finally turned to Ash.

"Ash, I don't care which one of us does it, but he needs to be taken out of this tournament. I don't want to be dealt another humiliating defeat by his hand," Derek said.

"I'm with you on that one," Ash replied with a nod, "so let's be sure that whichever of us faces him first takes him down."

Ash held out his hand to seal the agreement and Derek shook it without hesitation.

"Deal," they both agreed with a nod.

* * *

**Alright, that's the chapter everybody. As I said last chapter, all OCs have been accepted and I would have the Arc characters for this coming arc up. Bear in mind that Arc characters are only going to be in the story just for the arc, so don't throw a fit because I'm trying to give every character some form of screen time. Below here I have the Arc characters for the first arc that'll be portrayed alongside Ash and the support OCs. Be sure to read the points and story shout outs under this please. Thanks everybody, see you next time.**

**OCs Introduced:**

**Tony Miller: (Coli Chibi)**

**Viola Shalvick: (FlyPandaBear)**

**Arc Characters:**

**Tori West: (ShinObi87)**

**Richard Ironfield: (Silverscale)**

**Daisy Oda: (Phooka-Chan)**

**Kirin Ryuuzetsu: (Disturbed12)**

**Points:**

**1.) Which team of Red's do you want me to have for the story? Do you want me to have his old G/S/C team including Pikachu, Venusaur, Blastoise, Charizard, Snorlax and Espeon or do you want me to have his HG/SS team with Lapras replacing Espeon? I personally believe having Espeon will make his team more balanced. His team's level/strength at this time is the same as his HG/SS team.**

**2.) As a lot of you probably know. On Monday, May 20th, an EF5 tornado hit Moore Oklahoma. This is not the first time that this suburb of Oklahoma City has been hit with a tornado of that magnitude. The last time that happened was on May 3rd, 1999. I have some friends that live in Moore and thankfully they are alright, sadly others are not. As a guy that visits Moore a few times a year to see my friends, it's basically my second home and the people there are just great. If you know of any donations being sent to Moore, be sure to lend some aid and keep them in your prayers. To any of my readers that may live in Moore or Oklahoma in general, my prayers are with you.**

**Story Shout Outs:**

**"Pokémon Black and White: Tony's Journey" by Coli Chibi**

**Tony Miller is determined to be the world's greatest Bug-Pokemon Master, and he's on his way to prove it. Join him as he and his Pokemon deal with Gym Leaders, rivals, his own dark past, growing feelings for a certain pilot, Team Plasma, and the mysterious N. **

**"From Darkness Comes Light" by PhatomStorm**

**You can run as far as you can, hide as long as you can, but the past will catch up to you. Natalie and her Luxray get the chance to start their lives over in the Unova region. Here they meet new people, experience new adventures, romance and a chance to forget. But with this, a new enemy rises and an old enemy comes back. Accepting OCs more info inside.**

**"Rise of the Hybrids" by CaptainPrice**

** Pokémon and humans have been interacting as far back as anyone can remember. Now, a new discovery by researches will bring them closer together than ever before. The gene that few can awaken has been targeted for profit and gain by governments and their goal is to create the ultimate super soldier. It's only a matter of time before desperate measures will be taken to ensure that it can be done. (Accepting OCs, check the bottom of chapter one for details)**


	15. Welcome to the Jungle

**Hello readers, I hope you are enjoying your Memorial Day and getting out with your family and thanking those that have served or are serving. I thought I'd get this chapter out quick as a holiday treat and as a tribute to any troops that may be reading this story. I would like to thank all my readers for their continued support for my story. I now have 209 reviews, 22,376 hits, 121 favs, 122 alerts and 2 C2s. Thanks a bunch for the awesome support. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I ask you read it carefully to understand how the first event will work. I also implore you to read the end points as well as the story shout outs at the end. Let's get to the chapter!**

**Chapter Summary: Ash meets up with Paul and Barry in the main stadium with the others as Charles requested the night before to see what the first event is for the tournament. What they find out surprises them but it fuels their excitement for an interesting challenge. **

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Morning came early for the participants of the Pokémon World Tournament and a lot of them looked very eager to get the first event underway. All of them prepared to head to the main stadium again to learn about the first event and how it would be done. The early morning sun was beaming down over the Indigo Plateau and for many trainers that signaled good battling conditions. The stadium was slowly filling up as it was almost time to start off the tournament with the first event.

Ash and Pikachu arrived in the coliseum moments ago and managed to get a good front row spot to see Charles and Cynthia when they took the stand. Both of them were brimming with confidence and ready to show the other contestants that they were the best.

"This is it, buddy. We start our winning streak here today," Ash said looking at Pikachu.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied with a determined nod.

"Looks as though you're ready to go," Paul said as he appeared beside him.

"You know it!" Ash replied.

"Well, let's show them what we've got."

Ash nodded and smirked as he heard Paul's words. He was glad to hear that Paul was ready fired up and ready to go as well. It was an added bonus that he labeled them as equals with that last sentence. Turning back to the stage, Ash saw Charles and Cynthia walk on to a wave of applause and whistles. He joined in as well but was cut short when he felt something crash into his back, making him stumble forward in surprise.

"What the…" Ash muttered turning around.

"And down goes Barry," Paul said with a shake of his head.

Ash looked down at the ground and saw Barry sitting back up and rubbing his head. He shook his head and offered him a hand to help him up. Barry took it and stood up quickly to brush himself off. He pointed an accusing finger at Ash and had that familiar gleam in his eye.

"I'm fining you for that, Ash! Now pay up!" Barry said.

"You know, Barry, technically if you and Ash were driving cars and you bumped into him, you would be the one at fault. So from this standpoint, you'd better hope you have good insurance or you'll be paying that fine," Paul said glancing at him.

"Well played."

Barry lowered his hand and stood between Ash and Paul as he continued to look at the stage. The cheers and whistles quieted down to allow Charles and Cynthia to explain the first event of the tournament.

"It's good to see all of you are ready to go today!" Charles greeted.

He got multiple cheers in return for the observation and waved his hand to calm them down again.

"Now, as many of you know, this tournament is mainly known for battling only, but has done this event a couple of times in the past. However, we felt the need to change it up in order to test trainers through other methods in order to see how well the cohesion is between them and their pokémon," Charles continued, looking around the crowd.

Many trainers turned to exchange brief glances and words with each other. Paul, Ash and Barry sent each other a brief glance and shrugged as to what would be the test to see the level of unity between them and their pokémon.

"To save some time on explaining this, I've taken the liberty to have the event explained on the monitor here," Charles said turning to the monitor.

All the trainers turned their attention to the large screen and watched as the event popped up on it. The event read survival on the top and gained some confused looks from the contestants.

The survival phase was the first event of the tournament that would take place over a five day stretch, starting today. The challenge that was presented to the trainers was that they were permitted to use a team of six pokémon through the event and they had to travel together from point to point and use a ticket punch to mark the point on their sheet to show they obtained it. The way trainers could get eliminated from the event was also a little interesting. Eliminations could be given to trainers if they broke the rules, if they failed to get all the required punches on their sheet and if all of their pokémon were eliminated from their lineup.

The points that the trainers had to get on their slips of paper were spread out all over the wilderness in Kanto where the event would take place and it was up to them to find a way for getting to their points in a timely manner. There would be rest stations located between points that would allow a trainer to rest and have their pokémon recovered one time and it would give them protection from others since battling was prohibited in rest areas. Anywhere in the wilderness and the points were considered fair game to battle and attack other trainers to knock them out of the competition. If all the pokémon in the trainer's lineup was taken out, the trainer was out of the event and eliminated from the tournament. Trainers are permitted to team up with others if they wish to try and get through the event quickly with minimal problems. Once the trainer and their team found all of their points and marked them on their slip of paper, they had to get to the center of the event grounds to take a train out of the wilderness and back to the staging area.

The event would start in an hour and the trainers would have to board large planes in order to be dropped off at the airstrip where the event started. Trainers have the luxury of starting early if they feel courageous enough to jump out of the plain. The only catch was that a trainer was not permitted to use a flying pokémon during the event unless they were using it as an escort to the ground after jumping out of the plane to start early.

"Talk about a challenge," Barry noted as he rested his hands on the back of his head.

"No kidding," Ash agreed with a nod, "this is going to be an intense event."

"Well then we just have to make sure we don't get taken out by anybody," Paul said, "if anything, I'm willing to bet a lot of people will either try to take out Specter or Derek Fiers after Goodshow called them out last night."

"Yeah, I'd hate to be either of them for this event," Barry said with a nod.

The screen went blank and Charles turned back to the sea of trainers with an excited look.

"Now that you've seen the event and the rules, it's time to get this underway!" Charles said, "bear in mind we will have security cameras located all over the event area to spot any cheating or foul play. There will also be screens at the rest areas to show which trainer is currently in the lead and who has been eliminated. Good luck to all of you!"

With that, all the trainers began to exit the stadium to go and grab their bags to prepare for the long event. Ash, Paul and Barry led the way out of the stadium and bid each other farewell as they went back to their hotel rooms to get their things.

* * *

Ash made his way out of the hotel after running back up to his room to get his bag. He hadn't unpacked it from the night before and was ready to go. He already had his selected pokémon ready to go for the event and couldn't wait to start. His legs continued carrying him down the road to the west where the airstrip was to board a plane and take it to the airstrip for the event. He reached the end of the street and looked down the hill and could see a large airfield with a few old C47s ready to go. Looking at Pikachu, he gave a grin and started to run down the hill to the planes.

He reached the bottom of the hill and ran out to the landing strip to the nearest plane. Some trainers were forming lines behind other planes that were getting ready to load them on. Ash looked around to try and find Barry, Paul, Lily, Tony, Derek and even Viola, but found none of them. He wasn't sure if they were getting on different planes or if they were still on their way to the airfield. The door to the plane opened and a ladder dropped down from the doorway to allow trainers to climb on. Ash climbed up the ladder and got on to the plane. The fuselage stretched out to the far back with seats on both sides for people to sit. He trudged to the back of the plane and sat down in the last seat.

The second he sat down, more people began to clamber into the plane to fill up the seats. Ash kept his eyes peeled for any of the familiar faces he met and he finally found some of them climbing aboard. He saw Jayleen Okido enter, looking upbeat and dressed in the same attire of a blouse and short shorts. He waved at her and she waved back, hurrying over to the empty seat across from his. She sat down and gave him a smile and a friendly wave at Pikachu.

"How's it going, Jayleen?" Ash asked.

"It's going great! I got here early last week thanks to you. If you didn't give me those directions I would have been lost for ages," Jayleen said with a laugh.

"Glad I could help."

"So are you planning on teaming up with anybody on this event?"

"I've thought about it, but I'm not too sure."

Jayleen nodded at Ash's answer. She suspected he'd be open to the idea but wasn't sure if he would go through with it in hopes to finish the event early and place high. She could see him looking around for something and figured it was for some friends.

"Are you looking for someone?" Jayleen asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah, I'm trying to find some of the other trainers I met before the tournament started," Ash replied.

The plane was now filling up and Ash had only found Jayleen so far. There were still some seats to be filled up around him and he was hoping someone else he knew would show up so he could have another person to talk to. He got his wish when he saw Derek climb on, followed by Paul, Tony and that other girl he saw on the bus yesterday, Yue. The only seats that were now open were the ones by him and Jayleen. Paul saw the seats and sat down by Ash and leaned back in an attempt to relax. Yue and Tony sat on Jayleen's side and Derek filled up the final space by sitting down by Ash.

"I was beginning to think you all weren't coming," Ash said with a smirk.

"Please! Of course we were coming! It just took a while to find a plane that wasn't packed with other trainers," Tony retorted.

"Barry's on the plane behind us. I don't know what he plans to do strategy wise, so I guess we'll have to find out," Paul said, cracking an eye open to glance at Ash.

"I guess we'll find out when we land," Ash said with a shrug.

The doors to the plane closed shut and it started to roll towards the second runway. The ride was a little bumpy as the plane continued its path to the runway and causing Paul to become disgruntled at the lack of grace.

"So what are your names?" Jayleen asked, looking around her and Ash to the new faces.

"Paul Henderson," Paul grunted as he shifted in his seat.

"Tony Miller!" Tony greeted with a grin.

"Yue Wang," Yue said with a slightly annoyed tone.

"Derek Fiers," Derek said, giving her a wink, "what's your name, beautiful?"

"I'm Jayleen Okido," Jayleen replied.

Derek nodded and began scratching Chief's head again as he sat on his lap. The plane turned and the engines began to fire up as it prepared for takeoff. It began to roll and gradually picked up speed as it soared down the runway. First the front wheel went off and then finally the back wheels and the plane was airborne, cruising to its desired altitude.

"Alright, here we go!" Ash cheered.

"You don't need to be so loud, aru! It's just another tournament, so settle down!" Yue said sending Ash a stern look.

"Hey, shorty, calm down," Paul said looking at her, "there's nothing wrong with being excited about something."

"I'm not short, aru!"

"You could have fooled me. How old are you anyway, kid? You look like you're ten."

"I'm sixteen, aru!"

"Is that some sort of speech tic you've got there?"

Ash could see the teasing smirk on Paul's face and shook his head. He could tell the Paul was having fun messing with Yue, but he wasn't sure if Yue could pick up on the fact that he was teasing her and trying to get her wound up.

"There's nothing wrong with the way I talk, aru!" Yue sneered.

"You just did it right there again," Paul said with a small chuckle.

"Hey, come on, let's take a chill pill here," Tony said holding his arms up between the two of them, "come on Paul, leave her alone."

"Killjoy," Paul muttered as he rested his head against his seat.

Tony looked at Yue apologetically and got a glare in return. He wasn't sure why she was mad with him and decided not to press the issue. He looked away and began to fidget with his hands. Yue turned her gaze to the back of the plane and glared at the wall, not willing to say anything further. With the heated exchange between Yue and Paul ending, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright trainers, listen up!" said a man in a green jumpsuit. "We need to let some things be known here before we land. First of all, the packets being sent down to you contain a map and your lane strip number that you have to turn in in order to finish the event. The map will have all objectives marked and it'll be up to you to plot your own route."

The packets were being passed down the rows and one by one, each trainer took one for themselves. Once all the packets were passed down, the man in the jumpsuit continued to speak.

"We will arrive at the airstrip in two hours, so you can use this time to start planning your route or to relax, it's your call. Right now I want to know how many of you want to jump out of the plane to get a head start. Raise your hand if you wish to do so."

Nobody raised their hands and the man was about to head back into the cockpit before Derek raised his hand. Derek could feel the eyes of every trainer in the cabin on him when he did that. He had no desire to start with a large cluster of people and get ambushed off the bat, so he decided to take the more strategic approach. The man walked down to Derek and had him stand up.

"How tall are you, kid?" The man asked.

"Six two," Derek replied.

"Alright, I'll be right back with your parachute."

Derek sat back down as he waited for the man to come back with his parachute. He could see his associates looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"What?" Derek asked.

"Are you crazy? Why do you want to jump out of the plane, aru?" Yue demanded.

"Don't worry about it."

"Is it because you don't want to deal with all those trainers that want to fight you?" Ash asked.

The one look alone from Derek confirmed Ash's question. He honestly couldn't blame Derek for wanting to do that and began to wonder how much success he would have by starting early. Ash finally noticed the gear that Derek was wearing and had to do a double take. He looked as though he was dressed up and ready to go to a warzone. Derek was wearing tan steel toed boots, multicam trousers that were tucked into his boots, a black tactical fleece, a tan tactical vest, his trademark black beanie and an assault pack.

"What's with the gear?" Jayleen asked, pointing at Derek's supplies.

"Precautionary measure," Derek replied, looking up from his map as he stopped his plotting. "My dad taught me that when surviving in enemy territory you need to travel light and use all the resources you have to stay alive. What I'm wearing now will allow me to travel quick and and help me gather resources I need."

"What kind of father would train his son to be a soldier, aru?" Yue asked looking at Derek.

"One that cares for his son's wellbeing," Derek replied with a firm tone.

Yue immediately quieted and turned away once again. The man came back holding a large bag that contained the parachute. He handed it to Derek and started to go over how to use it.

"Alright kid, here's what you need too…"

"Strap it to your back, tighten it, blue handle is the primary chute, red is secondary, do not deploy chute until 2000 feet above ground level," Derek listed off.

The man closed his mouth, smirked and clapped Derek on the shoulder before walking back to the cockpit. Derek set the parachute by his feet and continued planning his route on his map.

The time on the plane went by fairly quick. Jayleen and Tony had followed Derek's lead and had pulled out their maps to plan their routes. Paul had fallen asleep and looked quite relaxed despite the turbulence the flight was having. Yue would keep sending glares at Paul as he slept, obviously still frustrated with him when he was mocking her earlier. Ash had been coming up with his own plan as he looked at the map. He found the starting area was at the airstrip and that the train station where he had to go after getting his points was in the center of the map.

"Looks like we'll have a lot of ground to cover, buddy," Ash whispered to Pikachu.

"Pi," Pikachu nodded as he looked at the map.

The PA kicked on over the plane and the pilot's voice came through the line.

**"Alright trainers, we'll be landing in about twenty minutes, so be prepared to get moving. Those of you that are jumping out early, you will jump out now,"** the pilot said.

Derek stood up and Chief climbed to his shoulders as he put the map away. He slung the parachute over his shoulder and walked to the doorway where the man with the jumpsuit was waiting. The man opened the door and the howling wind entered the cabin. Derek handed the man the parachute and looked back towards Ash and the others. He smirked and gave a two fingered salute.

"Hasta Luego!" Derek hollered as he and Chief jumped out of the plane, minus the parachute.

"Dumb kid," the man said shaking his head.

He was about to close the door but was stunned yet again. Ash was in the doorway with Pikachu. He decided to get a jump on the event early to try and finish early. He gripped the doorway tightly as he looked down at the ground below. Ash realized that he was high up and that he still had time to change his mind. Shaking his head, he steadied his nerves and pushed out.

* * *

At first the wind was howling while he was in the doorway, but after he pushed out of the plane and began his descent to the ground, it went silent. His stomach dropped at the sudden loss of ground and it felt as though it went into his chest. Pikachu was right beside him as they continued free falling to the ground below. Ash had to keep a hand on his hat to prevent it from flying off into the clouds. Strangely, Ash felt at ease, despite the fact that he was falling to the ground with no parachute to save him.

"This is awesome!" Ash said looking at Pikachu.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed as he did a couple of flips.

Ash gave a loud whoop as he mimicked Pikachu's move and did a couple of flips and twirls. As the ground grew closer, Ash knew he had to summon Charizard to escort him to the ground safely. Reaching out to Pikachu and wrapping his arm around him, he plucked Charizard's ball from his belt and held it out. The ball opened and Charizard emerged from the ball giving a loud roar. Ash gave a sharp whistle and Charizard began to fly under him so he could catch them. The two of them landed safely on Charizard's back and began to slowly reach the open field.

Charizard flapped his wings as he reached the field and landed gracefully, allowing Ash and Pikachu to dismount. Now that he was on the ground, he could no longer use Charizard and would have to switch him out when he reached a rest area. He recalled Charizard to the Poké Ball and clipped it back to his belt. Looking around, he could see trees in all directions and knew he had to orient himself before continuing. Getting down on his stomach, Ash pulled out the packet he received on the plane and pulled out his map, compass, protractor, and a pencil.

"Let's see where we are here," Ash said as he looked on the map.

"What are you doing, Ash?" Derek asked as he crawled up to him from the deep grass.

"I jumped out early to get a head start. Right now I'm getting distance and direction to the nearest point."

"Good choice. Stay in the game, Ash. If you have to stop and rest, do it at a rest stop. Don't do it in the wild."

"Actually, I have a proposition for you."

"What would that be?"

"Why don't we just team up? That way we can just sail through this event and make it to the next one."

A grimace formed on Derek's face as he rubbed his head. It wasn't that he was grateful for Ash extending the invitation, but he had other plans. He also found it too risky to join up. In scenarios like this, Derek wouldn't team up with anybody because he always had the thought in his head that they would turn on him in the end and if he could avoid that, he would.

"While I appreciate the offer, I'll have to decline it," Derek said with a smirk.

"Why? Derek, you know as well as I do you'll be a key target during this event. Wouldn't it make more sense to have backup from a friend instead of just relying on yourself?" Ash replied.

"It's not that I don't want your help. It's more along the lines of a past experience and our deal."

"How does our deal play into this?"

"If we teamed up for this event we would have to watch each other's backs and if we get surrounded by multiple trainers at once, it'll set us up for failure. We need to pass this so one of us can take out Tobias."

Ash opened his mouth to argue but found that Derek made a valid point. This event would allow multiple trainers to attack a person at once and even if they are teamed up with someone else, the noise of the battle would draw more attention and increase the chance of being defeated.

"Alright, just watch yourself. I still want a rematch with you sometime," Ash said with a smirk.

"You'll get one, because I plan to be the first one done with this event," Derek said with a chuckle.

"Not if I beat you first."

"We'll see. Now I have a word of advice for you. I would suggest you go trade Charizard out to have another pokémon on your team. Flying types can't be used in this event, so choose something that can balance out your team or give you some other advantage."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm heading to a rest stop to switch out my Dragonite to do just that. Then I'm going to get my first point and lay low for a bit."

Ash nodded and returned to his map to plot his azimuth to the first rest stop he could find. He lined up his azimuth after pinpointing his location and found that the nearest rest area was 1700 meters away at 226 degrees. As Ash pulled out his compass to get his direction figured out, Derek gave him one last piece of advice.

"Be sure you know when to use grid and magnetic azimuth. You'd be surprised how easy it is to throw yourself off if you don't pay attention."

"Got it. See you at the finish," Ash said with a nod.

Derek nodded in return and stood up before running off into the trees. Ash found his direction and pulled out his next Poké Ball to summon his other pokémon. He threw the ball up and it opened with a crack and a figure began to materialize in front of him. The shape grew and grew until finally the white glow vanished and Tauros was revealed. Tauros gave a snort and Ash and Pikachu hopped on to his back.

"Alright Tauros, we're going straight that way," Ash said pointing towards the trees out in the field. "Be ready for me to redirect you if we go off of our azimuth."

Tauros snorted again and began to gallop the trees.

* * *

The planes had landed shortly after Ash and Derek had jumped out of them. Trainers filed out of the planes and made their way to the starting area to prepare for the go. Among the trainers was Paul and Barry, who was disgruntled to hear that Ash had gotten a head start on him by taking the chance to jump out of the plane. Paul chuckled at Barry's behavior and took one last look at his map to decide which point he wanted to get first. He decided to go for the furthest point since it would make the most sense as it would save him time in the future.

"Hey, Paul!" Jayleen called as she walked over to him.

"Yeah?" Paul replied looking back.

"Good luck! I hope to see you at the finish. I want a chance to battle you after I saw your performance from the Sinnoh League."

"Alright, but don't disappoint me. If you can put up a good battle then I'd appreciate it."

Jayleen smirked at Paul and held out her hand and he shook it, smirking back at her. She turned on her heel and vanished down the line to prepare for the start. Paul rolled his shoulders and began to relax his mind to keep himself alert and ready for anything. He had his first pokémon ready to go to assist him in getting to his points.

"So what are you going to use as a pokémon to get to the points?" Barry asked.

"You'll see in a minute when we start," Paul answered with a smirk.

"Come on, tell me!"

Paul shook his head and his fingers gently touched the Poké Ball on his belt. He had chosen a speedy pokémon to get him out of the start and into the lead quickly to prevent getting attacked at the start. He wasn't going to let some amateur trainers get the best of him by using cheap shot methods, so the sooner he could break away from them the better off he would be. A warning horn sounded to notify trainers of the event starting soon and everyone got to the line.

**"Trainers, at this time you are allowed to summon your pokémon. The event will start in two minutes, so standby,"** the announcer said.

Paul threw his ball in the air and it opened with a snap and an Arcanine materialized in front of him. He climbed on top of Arcanine and had to resist himself from laughing at the look on Barry's face. It was almost childish that it was one of awe and disbelief. He was curious as to who Barry would use to get him to the points and waited for him to summon his pokémon.

"So who are you using?" Paul asked looking down at him.

"I'm using this one," Barry said with a grin as he held up the ball, "come on out!"

Barry's ball opened and a Rapidash appeared before him. He climbed on top and noticed the look of approval on Paul's face. Paul had to give Barry credit for choosing a very fast pokémon for the tournament and knew he would probably be one of the participants to finish early if he managed to keep Rapidash out of harm's way. The announcer gave a one minute warning and trainers immediately got ready to take off. It was at that moment that Paul felt someone tapping him on the shoulder. He turned to his left and his eyes fell on a girl.

The girl stood around five foot five. She had an athletic swimmer's build, long dark black hair with green and blue streaks in it, green eyes and a jolly roger was tattooed on both of his shoulders. She was wearing blue board shorts and a loose muscle shirt. The girl was looking at him as if demanding some sort of answer. Paul raised a brow and decided to acknowledge her.

"Yes?"

"Where is Ash Ketchum?" She asked.

"I'm Paul by the way, thanks for asking."

"Answer the question. Where is he?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"I would recommend you do so or else I'll just force it from you."

"What makes you think I know where he is?"

"You got on the same plane that he did. Now where is he?"

"Don't worry about it. You'll find him eventually. What's your name anyway?"

"Tori West. Now what's it going to be?"

"You'll have to catch me first."

The horn sounded for the start of the event and the ground thundered as the trainers took off. Paul and Barry were far out in front of the group with Jayleen close behind. Paul gave Barry a farewell nod and veered off to the left and towards the first point he chose. He glanced behind him and found no sign of Tori. He wasn't sure what pokémon she had at her disposal but if she didn't have something speedy, she wouldn't be able to catch him at all. Paul tapped Arcanine's sides lightly and his speed picked up dramatically. No one was in his way and everyone else was far behind him and that was enough to make Paul relax a little bit.

"This will be a cinch," Paul said to himself as he and Arcanine continued their run towards their objective.

* * *

Ash arrived fairly quick to the rest area thanks to Tauros and made his way over to the troughs that were filled with water. Tauros began to gulp down water to keep himself hydrated from all the running he did. While Tauros was drinking the water, Ash went into the nearby tent and towards the PC that was sitting in the back. He wished he didn't have to substitute Charizard, but he had to follow the rules and it wouldn't be of any use if he kept one pokémon on his team that wasn't permitted, only allowing him a team of five. It didn't matter that much because Ash knew the prime candidate he wanted to have as Charizard's replacement. He placed Charizard's ball in the port and hit the transfer button. The ball vanished and moments later, a new one took its place.

"Welcome back, Infernape," Ash said with a smile. "It's time to get to work."

Ash clipped Infernape's ball to his belt and left the tent to check on Tauros. Tauros was looking refreshed and ready to go after Ash stepped out and gave a snort to show his enthusiasm. Ash grinned and patted Tauros on his mane and mounted him once again. He pulled out his map and got his azimuth set to the first point. He had to go 3000 meters at 27 degrees. Setting his azimuth on his compass, Ash found his direction of travel and got ready to give Tauros the order to move. As he was about to do so, his eyes fell on the large monitor in the center of the grounds. Curious about the status of his fellow trainers, he went to check the board.

As he looked at the board he could see who was currently leading the pack in points. From what he saw, no one had a point yet meaning everyone was tied at first, but he could see that some trainers were already down a couple of pokémon. He knew he needed to get moving if he wanted to avoid winding up like some of the trainers who were already behind because their team had sustained damage.

"Let's get moving, Tauros. We're heading that way!" Ash said pointing northeast.

Tauros gave another snort and galloped out of the rest area as fast as he could to get Ash to his point.

* * *

Barry had made excellent time thanks to his Rapidash for being one of the fastest pokémon in the world. He was now at his first point deep within the woodlands and the point was sitting atop a large stone pyramid. Not being able to suppress his excitement, he gave a cheer and dashed up the large stairs to the top to get his punch for his slip. As he continued his mad dash up the stairs, he grew tired and his legs lost their momentum as they grew heavier to pick up.

"Man oh man! When will it end?" Barry yelled to the sky.

Sighing, he continued his climb and was surprised to find he was now at the top of the pyramid. He was glad nobody was around to witness his goofy nature when he was just a couple of steps from the top. He had to maintain a cool front and that's what he was going to do. His eyes glanced around the top and he finally saw a stone post in the center of the floor. He walked over to the point and pulled out his map and slip of paper to mark it correctly.

"Alright, point number one is mine!" Barry said as he picked up the hole puncher dangling from the post.

He punched the point on his slip of paper and the shape turned to a circle with wind scribbles to show the symbol of air. Now that he had the air symbol, the fire, water, earth and the space and time punch was all he needed. He pocketed his paper and looked at his map to determine which point he should go for next. Looking at the map, the water symbol was the farthest on the other side of the map at twenty kilometers. It was a long ride but should be manageable with Rapidash if he got some rest in between.

"Alright, I better get going," Barry muttered after he figured out his distance and direction.

As he went to the stairs he heard a loud boom in the distance and his eyes immediately tried to search for it looking at the treetops. He could see some smoke a couple hundred meters away and knew he needed to get out of there to avoid any potential battles. Not wanting to stay and fight so he could get a jump start on the next point, he looked at the stairs and saw that the stone that ran down the side was slick. He got a running start and jumped on the stone, sliding down as fast as he could. This proved to be an effective way of moving as he reached the bottom in just seconds. He gave a sharp whistle to Rapidash and he trotted over to him.

Barry hopped on Rapidash and started galloping through the trees towards his next point. His path was going to take him straight through the battle area that he saw at the top of the pyramid, but he had confidence in Rapidash's speed to get him out in without damage. The sounds of battle became louder and another loud boom echoed around the wood causing the trees to rustle violently.

"That really sounds intense," Barry muttered as he tried to get eyes on the area coming up, "I don't want to get hit with anything that's producing that damage for sure."

The clearing was now within sight and Barry could see two figures in the distance. Both of the figures were female. One was tall while the other was a very short. From what he could tell, the girl looked as though she was losing confidence in herself and about to break down.

The girl stood just short of five feet tall. She had a petite body, heterochromia eyes, and long brown hair that was tied up into pigtails. She was wearing a combination of pink and blue on her shirt, miniskirt and shoes and red glasses. The second girl was Tori West, who had been talking to Paul before the start of the event. She must have been trying to take out any competition along the way as she had a more aggressive posture and look on her face compared to the shorter girl.

Barry had Rapidash hold up and remained out of sight from the two battling girls to try and hear the conversation taking place between the two of them. He heard Tori speak up and she did not sound happy.

"I'll ask you this again. Where is Ash Ketchum?" Tori asked.

"I-I don't know," the smaller girl stammered meekly.

"Yes you do! You were on his plane! I saw you get on it!"

"I don't know who you are talking about, I'm sorry. Please, just let me go."

"If you don't tell me, I'll finish you off right here. You probably saw what he looks like. He was wearing a black and white Pokémon League hat, black and grey vest and he has black hair. Does that ring a bell?"

"Y-yes, it does."

"Good. Now where is he?"

"I-I don't know. He took the chance to jump out of the plane to get a head start."

Tori's fists clenched tightly as she heard that last bit of information. If he jumped off the plane like the girl said he did, she would not be finding him anytime soon. Giving a frustrated growl, she glared at the shorter girl and her Espeon. She looked at her Crawdaunt and nodded as she prepared to finish the battle.

"Well, I'm going to do you a favor here. You obviously don't have the skill or mindset for this environment so I'll save you the humiliation," Tori sneered.

"I-I can do this! I've made it this far!" The girl protested, her stutter growing by the second.

"Please! Your pokémon don't have the caliber of going against mine! They're all too cute and weak. How the hell did you even manage to get into this tournament? It must've been a fluke that you did well in any of the leagues you participated in!"

"Stop it!"

Barry was growing angry with the way Tori was acting towards this girl who had obvious confidence and emotional weakness. His fingertips touched the Poké Balls on his belt to select the two pokémon he wanted to aid him in battling Tori. Coming to a decision, he grabbed the balls and prepared to have Rapidash intercept the next attack.

"Rapidash, use Extremespeed the second you see that Crawdaunt move," Barry whipered as he dismounted.

Rapidash nodded and prepared to move as Barry hurried ahead to get ready. As Barry got behind a big tree off to the side, he glanced around the side to keep an eye on Tori.

"Crawdaunt, end it with Night Slash!" Tori ordered.

As the words left Tori's lips, Crawdaunt began to close the distance between him and Espeon. A small breeze kicked up and Barry felt a smirk spread on his lips as Rapidash soared past him to the point of being nearly invisible. A loud thud was heard as Rapidash crashed into Crawdaunt and sent him hard to the ground. The sudden appearance surprised both Tori and the small girl as they searched for the culprit.

"What? Who just did that?" Tori demanded as she looked around.

"That was me!" Barry said as he summoned Hitmonlee and Roserade.

He jumped into the clearing and stood between Tori and the other girl with Hitmonlee and Roserade beside him. Rapidash trotted over to stand behind him as well after tackling Crawdaunt. Tori's Crawdaunt scurried back over to Tori and glared at the newcomers for interfering with his fight.

"Are you okay?" Barry asked, glancing at the girl over his shoulder.

"Y-yes," the girl said with a nod.

"What's your name?"

"Daisy Oda."

"How about you get out of here? I'll take care of this bully for you."

"Thank you."

Daisy gave a bow and returned Espeon to her ball before running as fast as she could to the first point. Once she was out of sight, Tori focused her frustration on Barry and gave him a look that had the ability to freeze Hell over. Barry returned the look with a glare of his own and waited for her to do something.

"Thanks to you now we've got more competition to deal with," Tori sneered.

"True, but at least you can't take your anger out on the girl anymore," Barry replied.

"You should just mind your own business. Taking out any competition will save problems for later."

"Well, she's gone now. So why don't you pick on someone your own size, bitch."

Barry got into a set battle stance as Roserade, Hitmonlee and Rapidash got in front of him, ready to take orders. Tori clicked her tongue and pulled out two Poké Balls of her own and released them into the air. The balls opened with a crack and two pokémon appeared alongside Crawdaunt to assist him. The glow vanished and a Feraligatr and Cloyster were revealed, looking eager for a fight.

"Your move," Tori said cracking her knuckles.

"As you wish," Barry replied as he pointed at her.

Barry's pokémon lunged towards Tori's and their battle was underway.

* * *

**Wow, the event is underway and obviously intense and will become even more intense as by the next chapter. I hope this concept interests all of you with the thought of battles during a land navigation event to find the points in order to pass. I found it interesting and original so I hope you did too. If any of you are familiar with the military, you'll see that I did land navigation techniques with the amount meters to each point and distance and direction and azimuths, both grid and magnetic. Look below for the points and story shout outs. Have a good Memorial Day.-CaptainPrice**

** OCs Introduced:**

**Tori West:(ShinObi87)**

**Daisy Oda:(Phooka-Chan)**

**Points:**

**1.) As you know, today is Memorial Day. On this day we tip our hats and salute the men and women of the United States Military, whether they are active, reserve, retired and especially those that made the ultimate sacrifice. You are the one percent that stood up to answer the call to protect our great nation and I cannot think of anyone I would rather work with than you brave men and women. While I'm not a soldier yet, as a cadet I look up to all servicemen and use their experience and courage as inspiration so I can strive to become a great officer. As a future Lieutenant I cannot wait to join the brotherhood of the one percent and I will be honored to serve in the mere presence of any of you. To all my readers, these men and women deserve nothing but respect for their courage and I ask that on this day if you are on the street and see any servicemen, active, reserve or retired, to stop and shake their hand and thank them. This Memorial Day shout out goes to all servicemen, active, reserve, retired and fallen. Especially those in the fight to keep our enemies awake at night. Hooah!- CaptainPrice**

**2.) To answer a review's response about the EF5 tornado that hit Moore last week about the difference. Both tornadoes are similar because they received the highest rating on the Enhanced Fujita scale. The difference about the tornadoes was the wind speed and damage. The tornado on May 3 1999 had the highest wind speed recorded at 318 mph while the one last week had wind speeds topped at 200-210 mph. The damage from the EF5 on May 3 was tallied at 1 billion dollars while the one on May 20th was 2 billion.**

**Story Shout Outs:**

**"From Darkness Comes Light" by PhatomStorm**

**You can run as far as you can, hide as long as you can, but the past will catch up to you. Natalie and her Luxray get the chance to start their lives over in the Unova region. Here they meet new people, experience new adventures, romance and a chance to forget. But with this, a new enemy rises and an old enemy comes back. Accepting OCs more info inside.**

**"Pokémon Black and White: Tony's Journey" by Coli Chibi**

**Tony Miller is determined to be the world's greatest Bug-Pokemon Master, and he's on his way to prove it. Join him as he and his Pokemon deal with Gym Leaders, rivals, his own dark past, growing feelings for a certain pilot, Team Plasma, and the mysterious N. **

**"The Pokemon World League" by The Fan Fiction Writer**

**The elite echelon of the world's trainers gather to determine the very first World Champion. Rated T for safety, expect political undertones and themes. OC's readily accepted.**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**

******"Time of Courage" by FiammaJoule: **

******When there's nowhere left to run, where do you go? When the government is after you and everyone appears to be your enemy, who do you turn to? Not your friends and not your family. After all is said and done, you only have each other and your Pokemon. It's time to step up and steel your courage if you want to survive.**

**"One Soul Two Visages" by Tendou Souji**

**Assigned a task by the goddess of death, Reaper saw fit to exploit a loophole during a bout of nonchalance. His opportunistic mind beckoning him, he broke down the barriers between dimensions and plucked out random soul to carry out the task in his place. A discover that everything is preordained shall be reached, for the soul's identity all but shatters the thought of chance.**


	16. Why Ya' Wanna Bring Me Down?

**Hey all, I'm back with another update, after waiting for the freaking 408 Request Timeout to get fixed. I would like to take this time and thank you all for the continued support by adding my story to your favorites and alerts and reviewing it. Each time that happens it makes me eager to pump out another quality chapter for you all to enjoy in your free time, so that's what I did here. I don't have much to say except to request that you read the author's note at the end along with the points and story shout outs. Now without further delay, let's get to the chapter.**

**Warning: Minor language present in this chapter**

**Chapter Summary: Ash and his rivals continue their goal of obtaining the required symbol punches in order to pass to the next event. However, for some of them, the challenge is proving to be a slight pain with the obstacles of nature and other opposing trainers that obstruct their path. **

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Barry was glaring at Tori and was preparing to end their battle. The two of them had fought ever since Barry intervened with Tori's battle against Daisy. So far, the pair of them were about even in strength and they had both taken out two pokémon. Barry had returned Rapidash to his ball to prevent him from getting harmed as he was the main form of transportation. It was his Hitmonlee against Tori's Feraligatr and neither side was giving an inch.

"Feraligatr, use Aqua Jet!" Tori bellowed.

"Dodge and use Mega Kick!" Barry quickly yelled.

Feraligatr jumped in the air after surrounding his body in the dark water and shot at Hitmonlee like a bullet. Hitmonlee waited for a second before doing a corkscrew dodge and brought his leg back to deliver his own powerful hit. The attack narrowly missed Hitmonlee and continued to a nearby open space. Hitmonlee wasn't going to allow Feraligatr the luxury of getting by unscathed. The heavy kick slammed into Feraligatr's back and made him freeze in surprise. Using the momentum he had, Hitmonlee spun on his free leg and launched Feraligatr back towards Tori. Feraligatr was throw back and crashed and rolled across the rocky ground.

"Give up yet?" Barry asked with a smirk.

"No! Not until you tell me where Ash Ketchum is!" Tori sneered back.

"Why do you want to fight Ash so bad? What did he do to you?"

"He didn't do anything to me. I saw what he did against Tobias in the Sinnoh League and wanted the chance to battle somebody strong."

"You're wasting your time. If you battle Ash you will not win."

"How do you know that, huh?"

"You saw for yourself, right? His pokémon took out two legendary pokémon back to back. He is in a whole other league than you are."

"He can't be in another league than me. All the trainers here at this tournament are equal in strength if they were invited here."

"Not exactly. Some of the trainers here are renowned veterans and Ash is one of them. I'm saving you some problems now. If you face Ash in this event, you will lose and be out of the tournament entirely. Do you really want to try something that crazy?"

"I will not lose!"

"Easier said than done."

Tori gave a frustrated growl and pointed at Hitmonlee again, now eager to defeat Barry to make him be quiet.

"Ice Punch, go!" Tori yelled.

"Hitmonlee, wrap it up with Close Combat!" Barry countered.

Feraligatr lunged at Hitmonlee who was ready to intercept the next attack. Hitmonlee's eyes glowed red briefly as he assumed a combat stance. As Feraligatr got within striking distance, Hitmonlee made his move. Hitmonlee grabbed Feraligatr's wrist and dispelled the attack by doing so. The surprising counter caught both Tori and Feraligatr off guard. Hitmonlee drew Feraligatr in and drove his knee into Feraligatr's stomach, forcing him back. Feraligatr skidded back and tried to ignore the painful strike, but was finding it difficult. Hitmonlee shot at Feraligatr and had his fists ready to continue the onslaught. He was in front of Feraligatr almost instantly and sent his fist into Feraligatr's chin with such force that it sent him into the air.

When Feraligatr went into the air, Hitmonlee pushed off the ground with as much force as he could and flew after him. He was upon Feraligatr instantly and began to deal multiple hits to him as they continued to rise up. Punch after punch, kick after kick, each hit sent the pair of them higher until they were almost above the trees. Finally, Hitmonlee swung over Feraligatr and was now on top to deliver the final blow. With a light push, Feraligatr began to fall and Hitmonlee did a flip, slamming the heel of his foot into Feraligatr's head. Feraligatr fell to the ground with and crashed into it with tremendous force, kicking up a bunch of dirt in the process.

Hitmonlee landed smoothly and glared at the dust cloud as he waited for it to settle. Barry gave Hitmonlee praise for a job well done to which he gave a thumbs up in reply. The dust settled to reveal that Feraligatr had been defeated and was now unconscious after Hitmonlee's great attack. Tori's brow furrowed and she growled as she recalled Feraligatr.

"Alright, alright, we did it!" Barry cheered.

"Shut up! You're lucky you're not my main focus or I'd wipe the floor with you!" Tori snapped.

"Tell that to Hitmonlee. That fight looked pretty one-sided to me."

"Shut up. When I take out Ketchum I'm coming to get you next!"

With that, Tori turned around and took off in the woods. Whether it was to find a rest station for her team to recover or to pursue Ash, Barry didn't know. All he knew was that he fought Tori off and managed to get his first point. He smiled at Hitmonlee and returned him to his ball, giving him more praise before summoning Rapidash again. He climbed on to Rapidash and gently patted his mane.

"Alright Rapidash, we're going to our next point, so let's go!" Barry said, pumping his fist in the air.

Rapidash rose to his hind legs after giving a loud whinny and galloped into the trees. As Barry continued his trek to his next point, his thoughts drifted to Ash and Paul. He hoped that they were having an easy time getting their points. He still wanted to have a rematch with both of them and there was no way he could do it if neither of them made it past the event.

"You two better not fail this event or I'll have to fine you!" Barry muttered.

* * *

Ash and Pikachu had kept their eyes peeled for any sign of opponents as Tauros continued charging through the woods as fast as he could. So far he had done well with navigating his way through the terrain whereas almost a couple of years back he wouldn't have been able to find his way through Viridian Forest properly. He had taken Derek's advice and had successfully got his first point which happened to be the earth symbol. The structure that had the symbol inside was a giant stone cave that ended up turning into a spiraling tunnel that descended deep into the cave. He was relieved that he had no resistance on the way to his point and that helped him relax.

He got his point and plotted his next one which happened to be to the north east and was twenty-five kilometers away. Whistling lightly at the long distance he had to his next point, he folded his map and lined up his azimuth on the compass. After finding his direction, he tapped Tauros' sides with his heels to get moving. This happened about ten minutes ago and Ash had gone almost two miles, meaning he had another thirteen to go until he got to his next point and at least six more until the next rest area. Glancing down at Tauros, he could tell that he would have to let him rest soon and decided to get to the next rest stop as soon as he could.

"You're doing great, Tauros! Keep it up," Ash said as he patted his side.

Tauros gave a snort and jumped high over a downed tree before continuing into the large open field. The field itself was covered with large tall grass that had the capability to hide trainers to the point where they would be able to walk undetected. After Tauros crept into the tall grass, Ash had him stop so he could get a feel for the area. He and Pikachu hopped off of Tauros and glanced around at the ground to find any trace of disturbances. Ash kneeled down and touched the ground after he found a distinguishable footprint.

From what he could tell, the footprint was left not too long ago and that made him adopt a more defensive posture. He glanced over his shoulder to see Pikachu sniffing the ground and creeping through the grass to find a trail that may have been created by a wandering trainer.

"Pikachu, do you see anything?" Ash whispered as he looked at him.

"Pi!" Pikachu nodded as he beckoned for him to come over.

Ash hurried over to Pikachu and could see that he was pointing at a path of grass that was trodden down. Whatever made the new trail must have been the one who left the footprint he found earlier. He gave Pikachu a pat on the head for a job well done and returned Tauros to his ball. While riding Tauros would grant him a speedy escape, he found it too risky as he had no idea how many trainers may be in the area. He squatted down by Pikachu to explain the new plan of attack.

"Alright buddy, we're going to move through this field here without Tauros. Stay by me and be as quiet as possible," Ash said.

"Pika," Pikachu whispered back.

Ash got down on his stomach and shot his azimuth once again to get back on track. Finding the direction again, he motioned for Pikachu to follow him and slowly made his way through the tall grass, all the while keeping his eyes peeled and his ears open. Staying low to the ground granted Ash less chance of being detected, but it also made him slower. If he continued at the pace he was going, it would take him almost ten minutes to get across the field and back into the woods.

He glanced down at his watch and was surprised with how late it was starting to get. It was almost five o'clock and it would be getting dark fairly soon. Although the event was five days long, Ash did not want to take more than two days to complete the event. He wanted to be able to get one more point before it got dark and then go from there. Ash started to pick up the pace and tried to get out of the field as fast as he could.

After walking for almost five minutes, Ash was growing impatient. He looked down at Pikachu and nodded before starting to run. The sooner he got out of the field the better. Ash decided to take the chance and disregarded the consequences that may happen with the risk.

_"I don't have time for this! I need to get moving!"_ Ash thought as he started to run.

Ash and Pikachu ran through the tall grass while still keeping their senses sharp for any sound or movement. He was thankful that he was paying attention to his surroundings because the second he jumped over a small hole in the ground, he heard something snap off to his left. Thinking quickly, Ash and Pikachu dove to the ground and waited for a minute to try and hear something else.

"Did you hear that?" Ash whispered as he looked at him.

"Pi," Pikachu nodded as he glared to the left.

As the two of them waited for something to move, they finally heard muffled footsteps coming from their front. Ash pulled out Snorlax's Poké Ball and got ready to summon him in case the other trainer may be searching for him.

"I know you're out there!" A feminine voice called out.

The footsteps grew closer to Ash and Pikachu's position and they were going to have to fight their way out. Ash stood up and clutched Snorlax's ball tightly as he kept his eyes on the tall grass in front of him as he waited for his opponent to come out. He got his wish as a girl who looked around the same age as him stepped out from the grass.

The girl stood at five foot five and had a thin body that had some muscle as well. She did have some curves and development in her chest, but it wasn't as present as some of the other girls he had seen. Her skin was fairly tanned and her eyes were an emerald green. She had long brown hair that was tied up into a side ponytail with some bangs covering her face. The girl was wearing a black tank top that came just above her navel which was pierced, camouflage cargo pants and black combat boots.

_"Is everyone here dressed as a commando today?"_ Ash thought.

"I thought I heard somebody and it looks like I was right," the girl said with a smirk.

"Well, you found me. So what are you going to do next?"

"You should know the answer to that."

The girl pulled out a Poké Ball and started to toss it up and down. Ash grimaced as he caught her drift and knew that he was cornered.

"Look, as much as I want to battle now, I don't think it's a good idea to do it in the open," Ash said, crossing his arms. "We could get attacked by other trainers and taken out of the tournament."

"I know, but I think it's more fun when there's risk involved," the girl replied.

"I guess I won't be changing your mind any time soon?"

"No. Now battle me!"

She wound her arm back and released the Poké Ball in her hand. The ball opened with a snap and a large pokémon began to take shape before her. When the glow vanished, it revealed a Nidoking standing tall and ready to battle. Not one to be intimidated, Ash tossed Snorlax's ball out and it opened, allowing him to materialize in front of Nidoking. The two pokémon looked at each other as they prepared for battle. Nidoking had a glare and his teeth were bared as he got ready to attack while Snorlax had a lazy look on his face.

"Aw, come on! At least try to make this a challenge!" The girl shouted.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked as he looked at her from under the bill of his hat.

"A fat, lazy pokémon like that? He won't even be able to keep up against Nidoking!"

"You better be ready to eat your words."

The girl smirked and shook her head at Ash as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Whatever you say, kid," the girl said with another chuckle.

"My name is Ash," Ash replied as his eye narrowed at the rudeness of the girl before him. "Do you have a name or should I just call you shorty?"

"Don't call me shorty! I have a name!"

"Then address me by mine and I'll address you by yours."

"My name is Maaya Yoshida! Now fight me!"

Maaya ordered Nidoking to attack Snorlax after she pointed at him. Nidoking lunged for Snorlax and his horn started to glow white. Ash saw the attack coming and prepared to have Snorlax intercept and counter back.

"Snorlax, grab that horn!" Ash ordered.

Snorlax's feet shifted a bit and then got ready to stop Nidoking. As soon as Nidoking was with arm's reach, Snorlax's hand shot up and grabbed Nidoking's horn with ease. He pulled Nidoking's nose up and got ready to dish out his next attack.

"Now use Ice Punch!" Ash yelled.

A light blue swirl covered Snorlax's hand as it became encased in ice. He drove his fist into Nidoking's stomach and earned a loud cry of pain from him as he delivered the hit. Snorlax let go of Nidoking's nose and watched as he hunched over from the super effective attack.

"Wrap it up with Hyper Beam!" Ash barked.

Snorlax's mouth opened and a bright orange ball took shape in it. As the power began to build, Maaya took the chance to disrupt the attack and have Nidoking dish out some payback for getting blindsided from Snorlax's Ice Punch. She was surprised with the amount of speed that Snorlax had and was kicking herself for underestimating the overweight pokémon.

"Nidoking, use Chip Away!" Maaya yelled.

"Snorlax, hurry and dodge it!" Ash countered back.

Nidoking jumped at Snorlax and started to give a volley of punches. The attack hit Snorlax head on and managed to push him back, but surprisingly, he fought through the punches and continued conjuring the attack. Nidoking gave one final punch and made Snorlax stumble back and almost lose his balance. Ash was ready to counter and win the match.

"Pivot and fire, now!" Ash shouted.

Snorlax heard Ash's order and managed to regain himself just in time before falling over. He slid one foot to the side and used whatever momentum he had to spin and aim the Hyper Beam. As he set his eyes on Nidoking, his mouth opened as wide as possible and the devastating attack was released and soared straight for him. Snorlax managed to fire the beam perfectly before landing on his side and comically tried to scramble to his feet. The attack smashed head into Nidoking and blasted him off of the ground and through the tall grass. A thunderous crash reverberated around the area and Ash cursed himself for not thinking that through.

Maaya was stunned at what just happened and her mouth was agape with the coordination Snorlax had. Not only that, but it only took two moves to take her Nidoking out. To say she was mad was an understatement. She was furious and she hated losing with a fiery passion. She held up Nidoking's ball and returned him to it after finding him a few feet into the new trail he made.

"As fun as this was, I need to get going," Ash said as he summoned Tauros again.

"You're not going anywhere, Ketchum! We're not done yet!" Maaya sneered as she pulled out another Poké Ball and threw it into the air.

The ball opened and another pokémon took shape. This time when the glow vanished, it revealed the ancient and extinct pokémon, Kabutops. Ash cursed his luck as he had come across one of the stubborn trainers and started to think of a strategy to break contact and get back on track again.

"Kabutops, stop Tauros with Stone Edge!" Maaya ordered.

"Pikachu, use your Counter Shield and stop those rocks!" Ash shot back.

Pikachu jumped in between Tauros and Kabutops and started spinning on his back as he charged up his Thunderbolt to release it. Kabutops surrounded his body with two rings of sharp stones and prepared to fire them at Tauros to prevent Ash from escaping. Kabutops fired the stones at Tauros just as Ash climbed on top of him. Thankfully Pikachu was a lot faster and had his shield up and going. The barrier of electricity was erected between both pokémon and the stones disintegrated upon touching it. Ash smirked as he saw the look on Maaya's face. It was one of frustration and disbelief.

"You're not getting away!" Maaya sneered, "Kabutops, use X-Scissor!"

"Pikachu, charge at Kabutops and intercept him!" Ash answered in return.

Kabutops crossed his sharp blades and started running at Ash and Tauros, preparing to stop him from leaving. Pikachu stopped his shield and started bolting for Kabutops. Kabutops' speed was a lot faster than Pikachu's and Ash had to think fast to stop his advance.

"Pikachu, spin and use Thunderbolt!" Ash said quickly.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied as he jumped in the air.

He started spinning towards Kabutops as he jumped into the air. The wind pressure allowed him to spin perfectly around Kabutops and he used Thunderbolt just as he started to pass him. Kabutops stopped dead as the powerful volts of electricity coursed through his body. Once again he had been stopped by the smaller pokémon and was growing irritated with it. Kabutops sunk to his knees as he dealt with the pain and tried to shake it off.

"Alright, let's go, Pikachu!" Ash called.

Pikachu hurried back to Ash and leaped up onto Tauros. As soon as Pikachu got on top of Tauros, Ash kicked his sides to make him dash out of the grass and back to the woods. Maaya was now downright furious and pulled out her next ball to chase after Ash.

"Get back here, damn-it! We're not done yet!" Maaya screamed.

Kabutops stood up gingerly and glared after Ash, Pikachu and Tauros as he got ready to follow Maaya's next command. Maaya was about to summon her Arcanine but was stopped when she heard something coming from the grass behind her. She turned around and came face to face with another trainer.

The trainer was a male that stood at five foot eleven. He had fair skin, grey hair, grey eyes, and some muscle. He was wearing a dark grey t-shirt with yellow stipes on the sides, a pair of fingerless gloves that each had a purple stripe around the wrists, bracers were on his elbows, his pants were a dark grey and had small yellow clasps to keep his supplies safe, and his shoes were grey with black sides.

"Who the hell are you?" Maaya sneered.

"With an attitude like that you won't be making any friends any time soon," the boy replied as he glared at her for her tone.

"Oh piss off! I'm busy with something!"

"I don't like that tone. Besides, it's a competition where you are free to attack trainers to knock them out of the tournament. One less jerk in it, the better it will be."

The boy pulled out a Poké Ball and threw it in the air and it opened with a snap. A large pokémon began to take shape and when the light vanished, it revealed a Garchomp standing and ready to fight whatever crossed its path. Maaya turned to face the boy, her face red with anger as she only wanted to wrap up her battle with Ash.

"Let me spell this out for you kid," Maaya began with a barely controlled temper. "Back off and come back later. I'm battling someone else right now."

"You mean you were battling someone," the boy replied, glaring back. "Key word, were. I'm your opponent now and I can't wait to take you down."

"Who the hell are you to be all high and mighty, huh?"

"Kirin Ryuuzetsu, and as of now, your worst enemy."

He turned to look at Garchomp and nodded. Garchomp nodded back and lunged at Kabutops. The new battle had just begun.

* * *

Yue was preparing to receive her second point and was fairly pleased with the pace she was going at and the progress she had made. She had planned out her entire route while she was on the plane after observing Derek and Jayleen doing it and was glad she made the decision to do so. The distance between her points had been decent, but her upcoming points were going to be long. Each of her points were almost thirty to thirty-five kilometers apart, so she still had a ton of ground to cover if she wanted to secure her rightful spot in the next event.

She took off her glasses and cleaned them with her shirt before straightening them back on. She glanced at her Emboar and nodded at him to continue breaking through the trees. The sooner she got out of this area the better she would be. She was in the swamp now and her second point was more than likely the water symbol given the fact she was in the bog. It was absolutely gross and filthy to her and she did not like this one bit.

"Hurry up and burn those dead trees, aru," Yue said as she looked at Emboar.

Emboar opened his mouth and a stream of searing fire left it to burn the trees. The trees cracked and then splashed into the murky water after they had been burnt to a crisp. She trudged through the dark and smelly water behind Emboar so he could protect her from any form of trainer or wild pokémon. Her foot got caught on something as she took another step and she lost her balance. She fell into the water with a loud splash and sputtered as some of it hit her face and touched her lips.

Yue gave a frustrated cry as she started splashing the water. She rubbed the foul substance off her face and stood up, now completely drenched and shivering.

"This is just gross, aru! Whose idea was it to place a point this far in, aru?" Yue rambled as she freed her foot from the murky depths.

Emboar picked Yue up and rested her over his shoulders. Yue was about to protest and say that she didn't need to carry her out of pity and that he should pay more attention to his surroundings.

"Emboar, put me down!" Yue hissed.

Emboar glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and the look alone told Yue to hush up and let him do his job. She crossed her arms and pouted as Emboar continued marching through the marsh, his steps making loud splashes with each step.

"Be more quiet, aru!" Yue scolded.

Emboar bumped his shoulder so Yue would bounce up and stop mid sentence. Yue was getting more frustrated with Emboar's attitude and it took her everything she had not to go on and reprimand him right there. Emboar suddenly stopped and pulled Yue off of him and set her on a log and pointed ahead. She turned and saw a post on a saturated patch of land ahead. She straightened her shirt and stomped towards the grass but stopped when she saw somebody stumble on to the scene.

Upon closer inspection, Yue had to do a double take and was baffled when she saw the trainer. The boy she was looking at was sitting in a wheelchair and was accompanied by his Snorlax. The boy was sitting down, but he appeared to be around five foot two. He appeared to have a strong upper body, most likely from being paralyzed from the waist down. His hair was a dark brown color, his eyes were a sapphire blue and his skin was a pale color.

"Hey, we finally found the point! I can't believe our luck!" The boy cheered as he looked up at his Snorlax.

His Snorlax was doing a little celebratory jig and finally accomplishing his first task. Yue shook her head at the childish nature in front of her and was starting to wonder if everyone she was surrounded by was mature at all.

_"That fool's going to draw attention to himself,"_ Yue thought with a sigh.

Yue motioned for Emboar to follow her on to the landing to receive the point. While the boy was still celebrating, Yue pulled out her slip of paper and punched the water symbol into it. Two down and three more to go. She pocketed her paper and got ready to leave, but her presence finally seemed to garner the attention of the handicapped trainer.

"How's it going?" The boy grinned.

"Fine," Yue said back with a bitter tone.

"Cool. I just found my first point here. How are you doing?"

"This is my second. Anything else you wish to know, aru?"

"No. I was just trying to create conversation."

Yue rolled her eyes again at the boy's carefree nature and glanced at him as he rolled over to the post. She was surprised when she saw him pull himself out of the chair and punch the symbol on his strip just using his upper body strength. He sat back down in his chair and put his slip of paper away.

"So where are you heading next?" The boy asked.

"Maybe you should be more concerned about yourself, aru," Yue said as she glanced at him again. "Furthermore, why are you talking? Keeping quiet is the most logical question in this situation with other trainers around us."

"Don't be like that. I'm just trying to be friendly."

"Being friendly here will get you sent you home early, aru."

The boy frowned at Yue and crossed his arms. He didn't understand why the girl in front of him was so cold and harsh when he was being friendly. She definitely was not following the golden rule that he learned while he was growing up. He turned to his side when he heard something coming. Yue heard it too and immediately had Emboar get ready to engage. The noise grew closer and closer until it finally showed a tall and big man. Yue recognized the man as the one she caught the bus with back in Viridian City. William Mercurious or something like that?

William shook his head free from any dripping water and noticed the two of them. He gave them a playful smirk and waved as he started to walk over to them. He was covered from head to toe in mud and he was grinning broadly as if he didn't even care. To him, the mud that was covering him reminded him of his farm that he lived on as a kid until it was lost.

"How are you kids doing?" William asked as he walked over to the post to punch his symbol in.

"I'm doing good, Will! I finally found my first point here," the boy said with excitement.

"Nice job, Tommy."

The boy, now identified as Tommy smiled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"You did good to get here considering your handicap," William said as he pointed at the chair.

"Please, this is like a walk in the park for me!" Tommy replied with a smirk.

"Glad to see your confidence is intact."

William turned to Yue and smirked at her before crossing his arms.

"So how are you doing, Yue? Is this your first point too?" William asked.

"I'm doing fine, aru," Yue replied with a neutral tone. "And for your information, this is my second point!"

"Well look at you! Nice job, kid."

Yue rolled her eyes and turned away. William laughed at Yue's attitude before he turned back to look at Tommy.

"Well, I guess I'll see you both later," he said. "Did you need a hand out of here? I imagine you must be a little worn out from moving through this marsh."

"I actually would appreciate that. After we get out of here I should be good to go. I kind of overdid it," Tommy said with a laugh.

William laughed as well and picked Tommy out of the chair and secured him on his shoulders. Tommy's Snorlax picked up his wheelchair and started walking back the way William came from. Before they took off, William looked at Yue and gave her a look. She was quite small and she looked cold after making her way through the deep water.

"Did you want a lift as well?" William asked.

"I don't need your help, aru! I'll be fine," Yue replied.

"Are you sure? You're small and this water is pretty deep. You look pretty cold too."

"I said I'm fine, aru! I don't need your hospitality!"

Yue hated it when people would take any form of pity on her, so she snapped back at William without hesitation. William raised his brows and shrugged before giving her a smirk. As he started to walk away, he decided to leave her with some parting words.

"See you later then, Yue. Now for a word of advice, no one likes a brat," William said with a chuckle.

With that, William and Tommy made their way back into the swamp and vanished from view with Snorlax following close behind. Yue was seething and bit her tongue as she heard that end comment from William.

"I'm not a brat, aru!" Yue muttered angrily.

She looked at Emboar and nodded at him to show she was ready to move again. Emboar picked her up and set her on his shoulder once again and waited for her to get the distance and direction again. Yue pulled out her compass and lined up the direction at 50 degrees to the next point.

"Alright, we're going that way," Yue said as she pointed to the south-west.

Emboar snorted and started marching back into the swamp.

* * *

Danny and Claire were in the middle of the woods and nearing their first point. They teamed up before the start of the event and thought it was the best thing to do as they would be able to watch each other's backs. The key problem that they had was they had no pokémon to use as transportation to get to their objectives and that meant it would take a lot longer and limit the amount of points they could get in a day. Although Danny had the confidence to lead his team, he found himself unable to communicate with Claire easily. It wasn't that he didn't like Claire, but he had never been able to talk effectively with a girl. His lack of communication made Claire step up and take the initiative as the leader of their group.

"So, Claire, where do you think our point is? It should be nearby, right?" Danny asked.

"You're right," Claire said as she kept her eyes on the map, "it should be just beyond the trees here."

"Good. We should be able to get at least one point here before it gets dark, so let's go!"

Claire rolled up the map and tucked it away before running into the trees. Danny opened his mouth to tell Claire to slow down so she wouldn't hurt herself and to be careful of any roaming trainers. He sighed as he failed to muster up the words he searched for and scratched the back of his head. He glanced at Lucario and could see him looking back with crossed arms.

_"Master, you should really speak up around her,"_ Lucario said through the telepathic link, _"you need to work as a team here and from what I've seen, it's mainly been her calling the shots."_

"I know, I know," Danny sighed. "I get all tongue-tied when I try to talk to her and I don't know why."

_"You've been like this around almost all girls you've tried talking to. I think you just need to practice more."_

"Easier said than done."

_"Well, small talk is a good stepping stone for this. Just try to be more vocal. Girls like guys with confidence and that is a fact."_

"Thanks, professor."

Danny and Lucario chuckled at the little banter they had and continued running after Claire as she already had a decent start on them. He was jumping through the trees and would have to stop occasionally to pull his cape off of anything it snagged on. After a few minutes of maneuvering through the trees and bushes, Danny broke free from the tree line and stood in a large opening with a large stone temple in the center of it. The temple had a massive staircase that reached to the top of the construct and Danny could see Claire sprinting her way up it with her Blaziken beside her.

"Claire, wait up!" Danny hollered as he and Lucario started running up the stairs.

His words fell on deaf ears as Claire vanished from sight as she reached the top. Danny began to quicken his steps and started taking the stairs two at a time to reach the top faster. From what he gathered, Claire was a tough and athletic girl, so maybe showing some form of fitness would show some form of confidence. He reached the top and was sweating pretty badly with the layers of clothes he had since they didn't breathe well.

Claire had already punched her slip of paper with the symbol for air and turned around to see Danny looking a little winded from trying to keep up. She gave him a playful smirk and crossed her arms as she leaned against the post.

"What took you so long, slowpoke?" Claire asked.

"My cape kept getting stuck when I tried to catch up and by the time I did you were at the top," Danny replied with a sheepish grin.

"You're going to let a girl beat you? That's not going to sit well with your man card."

Claire giggled as she saw Danny's face turn a little pale at her words. He shook his head and hurried over to the post to punch the symbol on his sheet. Now they both had one symbol and it was time to start making their way to the next one. Danny pulled out his map and looked at it to determine where the next point was. The next one they could go for was twenty kilometers away and it would definitely be dark by the time they reached it. He sat down and plotted the azimuth to get the direction of their next point. The azimuth shot 305 degrees and it was right on track with a rest area.

"I say we go to this point," Claire said as she pointed at the one in the opposite direction.

"Claire, hold on a second," Danny said as he held up a hand.

"What's wrong?"

"I think we should go to this one."

Claire looked at the point that Danny had indicated and saw that it was going the opposite way she planned. She wasn't sure why Danny wanted to go there and crossed her arms as she looked at him.

"Why should we go to that one?" Claire asked.

"It's closer for one and the next big reason I had is because it'll be getting dark soon," Danny said as he tucked the map away and pulled out his compass.

"What's your point?"

"My point is that there's a nearby rest area that we can use if we head that way as a camp so we can be protected from other trainers. It may get too dark before we even get halfway to the point, so I'd rather have some contingency plan instead of wandering around aimlessly."

Claire thought about it for a minute and understood Danny's reasoning. She didn't really have a plan for going to the point. There was no rest stop near the point she wanted to get next and that left her vulnerable to other trainers. Finally coming to a decision, she nodded and smirked at Danny again.

"Well you have sound judgment, that's for sure," Claire said as she walked to the stairs.

"Thanks. I like being able to plan stuff out as much as possible before executing it," Danny replied as he found the direction of travel.

"Alright, let's go!"

"I'll race you down!"

Danny and Lucario ran by Claire and started to run down the stairs. Claire, being a girl that always takes up a challenge, accepted it without hesitation as she and Blaziken dashed after Danny. She managed to overcome him halfway down and was now in the lead, but not by much. Just as she neared the bottom of the stairs, Danny zoomed by her with Lucario as they slid down the slanted slope.

"Hey, you cheater!" Claire laughed.

"I never specified the rules!" Danny replied with a smirk.

Danny and Lucario continued running towards the new point with Claire and Blaziken following behind. Lucario gave Danny a pat on the shoulder and smirked at him.

_"Well played, Danny,"_ Lucario said with a nod.

* * *

Paul was making excellent progress in finding his points. The sun had officially set and it was now getting dark over the playing field. This would make things a little easier as he now had speed on his side with Arcanine and the moon was blocked out by clouds giving him the cover of darkness to move. Paul had Arcanine in a halt as he observed his map to try and gain an estimate as to how close he was to his next point. He found his second point half an hour ago and Arcanine had been running all day, so he was more than likely starting to get tired.

His next point appeared to be another ten kilometers away. He planned to get his third point and then find a rest area for the night to sleep. Folding his map away he signaled Arcanine to start walking again. Arcanine walked quickly through the trees, all the while keeping his senses heightened for any potential threats that may be lurking in the dark. Paul was doing the same as he kept his eyes sharp for any movement. He had already battled three trainers as he searched for his points and took out one of them completely, while defeating a couple pokémon of his other opponents.

"Those trainers I battled earlier didn't seem like they were capable candidates for this tournament," Paul said with a smirk. "Whatever. The less weak trainers there are the better this will be."

Arcanine gave a growl of agreement as he heard Paul's words. He had been a big part of taking some of the pokémon today for him. He stopped again as Paul gripped his mane and went to lick his paw as Paul looked around the area. What neither of them knew was that they were being watched by someone who had done a good job of masking their presence.

Ryuu looked down at Riolu and nodded at him. Riolu jumped up and went to carry out Ryuu's order. He crept through the bushes and managed to get near Arcanine as he continued to lick his paws. Paul's back was turned, so he was not paying attention to the front. Riolu made his move and dashed out in front of Arcanine using Agility and brought his palm back as it started to glow white with power. He appeared in front of Arcanine and startled him just like Ryuu ordered him to.

Arcanine stood up on his hind legs to dodge the Force Palm but the sudden action caught Paul of guard as his arms flailed wildly to try and catch Arcanine's mane again, but he failed. He gave a startled cry and flipped off Arcanine's back and landed headfirst on the ground and didn't move afterword. Arcanine opened his mouth and used Flamethrower on Riolu only to have Riolu dodge with ease and vanish into the trees again. Arcanine gave a threatening growl as he kept searching the trees for his enemy. He inched his way over to Paul and nudged his head with his nose in an attempt to wake him up.

When Paul didn't respond, Arcanine sat down beside him and kept his eyes peeled for Riolu to come back. He was now eager to dish out some payback agains the cocky pokémon and would succeed in doing so.

"Circle Throw," Ryuu whispered, gaining the attention of Arcanine who looked in his direction.

Arcanine opened his mouth and sent a stream of blistering fire at the bushes he heard the noise come from. Ryuu jumped out of the way just in time to avoid the flames and could feel the searing heat from it. However, he did his part of the job by distracting Arcanine and now it was up to Riolu to finish it. He got his wish when Riolu slid under Arcanine and picked him up with his tiny paws. Arcanine squirmed in surprise as the tiny pokémon began to spin him around before throwing him towards a cluster of trees. Arcanine hit the trees hard and landed on the ground in a heap.

Riolu bounced on his toes as he observed the damage he did before turning back to Paul who was still unconscious after hitting his head. He walked over to Paul and checked his condition. He prodded Paul's head a few times and received no answer and then finally pushed Paul to his back and started to search his person for anything interesting. His hands came into contact with the plastic bag that contained Paul's compass, map and paper with the punched symbols. He pulled it out and began to bounce on his heels as he acquired a new item of interest. While he was busy celebrating his find, he failed to notice that Paul had regained consciousness.

Paul sat upright and tried to clear his blurred vision with a shake of his head. The only thing that accomplished was make his head throb even more. Blocking out the pain as best he could, he turned to his right and saw a Riolu holding a bag containing a compass, map and strip of paper. He looked down and saw his jacket was unzipped and that's where he had his items a moment ago. He glared back at Riolu and stood up gingerly as he tried to maintain his balance. Quick as a flash, Paul swiped the bag back and held Riolu upside-down by his ankle. Riolu looked momentarily surprised by the turn of events as Paul's eyes bore into him.

"Piss off you little runt," Paul said before tossing Riolu towards a thorn bush.

Riolu vanished into the bushes and out of sight. Paul bared his teeth and clutched his head as it pulsed again in pain. Arcanine was back on his feet and ran over to him and see how he was holding up. Arcanine licked Paul's face to try and relieve some pain he was feeling but it didn't seem to do much.

"Use Flamethrower on that bush," Paul said.

Arcanine did as he was told and unleashed another powerful stream of fire on the thorn bush that Riolu disappeared in. The bush ignited the second the flames touched it and turned to ashes in mere seconds.

"Where'd he go?" Paul growled.

"You mean that Riolu, correct?" Ryuu asked as he appeared from the trees.

"Was he your pokémon?"

"That depends. What do you plan to do if I admit it?"

"I plan to make sure that you stay out of my way."

Ryuu gave a whistle and Riolu jumped up onto his shoulders. He was covered in thorns and had some minor burns on his paws. Paul smirked at the Riolu as he saw the damage he managed to deal to it.

"Does that answer your question?" Ryuu asked.

"It does. Now get out of my way," Paul sneered, "or do I have to force you?"

"I guess I don't have a choice. Let's see if you are as strong as you claim."

Riolu jumped in front of Ryuu and got into a battle stance. Arcanine growled at the little menace and prepared to step in but was stopped when Paul rested a hand on him. Paul shook his head and pulled out another Poké Ball to send out a different pokémon.

"Drapion, standby for battle!" Paul said as he released the ball.

The ball snapped open and a large pokémon took shape in front of Paul. The glow vanished and Drapion was revealed as he clicked his pincers in a threatening manner. Paul planned on crushing the trainer in front of him for using a surprise attack that ended up with him getting a concussion.

"Interesting choice," Ryuu said, "Riolu, use Swords Dance."

"Pin Missile!" Paul countered back.

Riolu crossed his arms and a set of transparent blades appeared around him and began to twirl and spin in various fashions. Drapion connected his pincers and pulled them apart as they started to glow white and aimed them at Riolu. Large arrowhead like white streaks shot from Drapion's claws and soared at Riolu with impressive speed. Riolu had to cancel his technique early and jumped up into the air to avoid the attack.

"Toxic Spikes!" Paul called out.

Drapion looked up and shot a purple ball from his mouth up high. The ball was just above Riolu before it exploded into purple wisps and worked back to the ground. The wisps vanished into the ground just as Riolu landed. The second Riolu's feet touched the ground he let out a cry of pain as a purple glow surrounded his body as the toxins permeated his body. Ryuu was mildly impressed with the surprise counterattack that Paul just used as he had yet to see a trainer come at him with a strategic approach today instead of the others that used brute force.

"End it with Pin Missile!" Paul shouted.

"Dodge it, Riolu!" Ryuu ordered.

Riolu stopped shaking from the toxins but still looked as though he was recovering from the attack. Just as he was ready to move, the Pin Missile attack from Drapion was upon him and hit him head on. A loud bang echoed around the wood as the attack hit Riolu and concealed him in a white light as the attacks smashed into him. When the light vanished, Riolu was lying on his back, defeated.

"So who's next?" Paul asked as he crossed his arms and glared at Ryuu.

* * *

Ash and Tauros had arrived at the next rest area just as the sun set. It took Ash a lot longer to get to the rest stop as he had to weave his way between trainers and obstacles which through off his azimuth and required him to find it again. He was fortunate not to have lost any of his pokémon, but they all were worn out from fending off multiple trainers. He dismounted Tauros and walked him over to the water trough so he could rehydrate himself after all the running he did.

Ash took off his hat to let his hair breathe after being trapped under it for hours on end. He stretched and sighed as he looked at the only symbol he managed to get so far. While he had tons of time to get the last four, the window of getting done soon was growing smaller with each minute. As much as he did not want to find his points in the dark, Ash was considering doing so. He decided to rest for a bit before making the final call and sat down beside Tauros as he continued slurping up water. Pikachu sat on Ash's lap and gave a yawn to show his exhaustion.

"Getting tired there, buddy?" Ash asked.

"Chu," Pikachu nodded as he yawned again.

"Hey, don't yawn. You'll get me started."

Ash scratched Pikachu's head and yawned as he looked around the rest area. There were trainers all over it resting and preparing to head back out into the wilderness. He scanned each face and did not recognize anybody he knew. Curious to see how some of his fellow participants were holding up, Ash walked to the large screen to see everyone's status. He looked up at the screen and could see all the trainers that were in and those that were eliminated. Ash saw that fifty trainers had already been eliminated from the event and was relieved that none of his rivals had been taken out. As he went to look at the leaderboard, something hard collided into him and sent him to the ground.

"Watch where you're going or I'll have to fine you!" Barry yelled as he sat up.

"You're the one who crashed into me!" Ash retorted as he turned around.

"Oh, Ash, it's you!"

Barry stood up and held out a hand to pull Ash up. They dusted themselves off and looked at the leaderboard together to see how everybody was holding up.

"So how are you doing now?" Barry asked.

"I only have one stamp so far like it says on the board," Ash replied. "I ended up getting attacked by other trainers."

"No kidding. I have had a couple battles myself and it's taken its toll on me."

Looking at the screen, Barry had two symbols, just like Paul. One thing that caught their eyes was the little blade by Paul's portrait that displayed he was currently in a battle. He had lost two pokémon so far in the fight while his opponent, Ryuu Sinclair had lost three.

"Looks like Paul has things covered on his end," Ash said.

"As he should. I'd have to fine him if he was doing worse than this," Barry said with a nod.

Ash shook his head and scanned for his other rivals. Now that he knew about Paul and Barry's status, he had to see how Tony, Lily, Jayleen, Yue and Derek were doing. Tony and Lily were both tied with one symbol and they both were down one pokémon. Yue had two points and still had all of her pokémon up and running which surprised Ash with how well she was doing for such a young kid. Jayleen had two points but she had taken some heavy damage and was down four pokémon. Finally, Ash looked to see that Derek was tied in first with Tobias and Specter with three points and all of his pokémon were still up, but they had taken some damage.

"No way," Ash muttered.

"What's wrong?" Barry asked as he looked to where Ash was looking. "What the heck? How does he have those points? He doesn't have any speedy pokémon!"

"I'm not sure, but I guess he's going to deliver on the call he made."

"What call did he make?"

"He said he was going to be the first one done with the event by tomorrow morning."

"Hah! Is he crazy? There's no way he can do that!"

"Well it's only seven o'clock now. He still has eleven hours until the train comes to the center station to take trainers back."

"I bet you he misses the train."

"I'll take that bet. I'll bet you ten bucks he does."

Barry shook Ash's hand to accept the deal and smirked as he had the utmost confidence that he would win the bet. They looked back up at the board to see that the blade by Paul's portrait had vanished and he was now out of battle. He had lost three pokémon total and Ryuu had lost three as well.

"Hey, Ash, how're you doing?" Jayleen said as she came up from behind them.

"Not bad," Ash replied with a shrug, "you seem to be doing well after what I saw on the board here."

Jayleen's cheeks turned red with embarrassment and she waved the words aside.

"Nah, I just got lucky. I had to come here after I lost my fourth pokémon," Jayleen said as she looked at the board.

She gave a whistle when she saw the leaderboard and smirked before turning to Ash.

"Well you better pick up the pace. I'm going to beat you at this rate," Jayleen said with a teasing smile.

"Don't count on it. I'll beat you for sure," Ash said with a smirk.

"We'll see."

The three of them looked at the board again just in time to see some more trainers get shifted over to the eliminated side. Barry whistled as he rested his hands on the back of his head. The number of trainers that started the event had been cut down significantly. The event started with over two hundred trainers and now it was down to one hundred and fifty. Barry's eyes landed on Tori West's portrait and he saw that she had two symbols with three pokémon taken out. His eyes widened when he finally remembered what he needed to talk to Ash about.

"Ash, you weren't planning on going back out tonight, were you?" Barry asked.

"I've been thinking about it and I might have to if I want to finish the event tomorrow night," Ash replied, "why?"

"I was going to tell you to watch your back. I battled a girl earlier today that's hell-bent on battling you and she wants to take you out of the tournament completely."

"Her and everyone else. So who is it?"

Barry pointed at Tori's portrait and Ash looked at it. He saw that she was one symbol ahead of him but the thing that made him scratch his head was the dominant type presence. While Ash knew type advantage meant nothing since it depended on the teamwork between the pokémon and trainer, he would most likely win. His team was balanced out and had a few pokémon that had the type advantage over her water types.

"What kind of battler is she?" Ash asked.

"When I fought her she was all about brute force to try and prevent me from attacking," Barry replied. "She's pretty strong, but I told her that if she went against you she would lose badly."

"How'd she take that when you told her?"

"Not well."

Ash chuckled a bit and looked back up at Tori's portrait. While he was sure she was strong, he was confident that he would be able to handle without much difficulty. From what he was with his rivals as well, he came to his final decision for his next move. Turning around, he started to walk back to Tauros who was now waiting for him and Pikachu to come back.

"Ash, where are you going?" Barry asked.

"I'm going to get my points. I've got to catch up if I don't want to lose to you!" Ash replied with a smirk.

"Like I'm going to let you beat me here! I'm going to beat you!"

"Whatever you say."

"Just watch yourself and remember what I told you about Tori!"

Ash nodded and waved at Barry and Jayleen as he mounted Tauros once again to continue his trek to his second point. Finding his direction on the compass, Ash tucked it away and tapped Tauros with his heels. Tauros gave another snort and ran out towards the pitch-black woods. He had some catching up to do and he was going to get as many points that he could before dawn.

* * *

**Alright, that's the chapter everybody, I hope you all enjoyed it. I am doing the best I can to get some chapters out before June 30th as I will be gone from then and almost until the end of July without access to technology. Now I ask as an author that you all do me a favor and check out some of those stories I include in the story shout out section so you can help my fellow authors improve. That's all I had for you, so be sure to check out the stories I have listed under this as well as the points I want to talk about. Thanks and I'll see ya'll later.-Captain**

**OCs Introduced:**

**Tommy Walker:(Purrich)**

**Maaya Yoshida:(emmausgirl94)**

**Kirin Ryuuzetsu:(Disturbed12)**

**Points:)**

**1.) My prayers once again go out to the people of Oklahoma after the tornado outbreak that happened last week. It's very unfortunate that happened again and even more so that it was another EF5 that did it which is alone is just terrible. Anytime I see donations to Oklahoma going up here in Wisconsin, I send money or anything I can as aide. Stay strong Oklahoma, ya'll are a bunch of tough hardy people.**

**2.) The title of the chapter is also a song I really enjoy. Kudos to the person who can guess the band that made it.**

**Story Shout Outs:**

**"From Darkness Comes Light" by PhatomStorm**

**You can run as far as you can, hide as long as you can, but the past will catch up to you. Natalie and her Luxray get the chance to start their lives over in the Unova region. Here they meet new people, experience new adventures, romance and a chance to forget. But with this, a new enemy rises and an old enemy comes back. Accepting OCs more info inside.**

**"Pokémon Black and White: Tony's Journey" by Coli Chibi**

**Tony Miller is determined to be the world's greatest Bug-Pokemon Master, and he's on his way to prove it. Join him as he and his Pokemon deal with Gym Leaders, rivals, his own dark past, growing feelings for a certain pilot, Team Plasma, and the mysterious N. **

**"Luke's Pokémon Adventure: Kanto" by Pikachu0311**

**The first story in the 'Luke's Pokémon Adventure' series. Follow Luke as he travels the Kanto region in order to become a Pokémon Master! My first fanfic. Hope you all like it. Accepting OCs.**

**"The Pokemon World League" by The Fan Fiction Writer**

**The elite echelon of the world's trainers gather to determine the very first World Champion. Rated T for safety, expect political undertones and themes. OC's readily accepted.**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**


	17. You Waste Your Time

**Hey all, I'm back with another update. I would like to thank you all for the continued support by adding the story to the favorites, alerts and reviewing, it does mean a lot to me. It took me a while to do this one since this chapter contains a full battle, so I wanted to make it good. I also introduce the last arc character for this arc in this chapter. Fun fact, this chapter alone contributed to twenty pages for the story, putting it at 255 pages now in Microsoft Word. Now, I will try to get one last update up next week before I leave for the next month, but it depends on my work schedule since I managed to snag a part time job. Anyway, here's the chapter!**

**Warning: Some language is present in this chapter. Nothing too crazy though.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash has his sights set on his second point after leaving the last rest area to try and catch up with his rivals. Although he obtains a second point, his path is blocked by a trainer that's been waiting to battle him for a long time. Now Ash is in for a tough fight if he wants to continue on through the event.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Ash, Pikachu and Tauros had continued their trek through the fields and the woods as they made their way to their second point. Ash was determined to catch up to Paul and Barry after he saw that they were ahead of him on the leaderboards and he was not going to let them beat him that easily. His motivated attitude made him decide to continue to the point even though his team had little rest after making their way to the rest stop from the first point earlier that day. Even though it was a risky move on his part, Ash had the utmost confidence in his team that he would be able to excel with his goal for the night of getting at least two points.

His hands went to touch the Poké Balls on his waist as he reviewed his roster that he chose for the event. The only glaring weakness he saw in his team was that he was prone to a type disadvantage to fighting-type pokémon because of Snorlax and Tauros being normal-type. Since Tauros was his main form of travel for the event, he would only use him in battle if the rest of his team was taken down. His team consisted of Pikachu, Sceptile, Infernape, Snorlax, Tauros and Buizel. He felt his team was fairly balanced despite having two pokémon of the same type.

"Type advantage doesn't mean anything to most trainers if they know their pokémon well," Ash muttered with a shake of his head, "I should be fine."

As Ash and Pikachu rode Tauros in silence, he decided to pull out the map again to take a look the distance he had left to cover. Since he did not follow a trail, he could not orientate himself to the map, but he knew he was running just off of one in a patch of woods. He pulled out his flashlight and had Tauros stop so he could observe the map easier. Tauros stopped and gave a snort as he waited for Ash to give him the command to continue. Ash pointed on the map and glanced to the left to see the dirt trail that eventually led to their point.

Judging from the terrain the map was showing, Ash would have the advantage of using the trees in the woods as cover, but he would have to cross a river eventually before he reached his point. If he was to take the trail, he would lose the cover of the trees and be visible to enemy trainers when the moon poked out from the clouds. Going with his gut, Ash decided to continue through the woods and tucked the map away again. He turned off the flashlight and put it back in his bag before ordering Tauros to move again.

He was not far from his point and should be able to reach it within fifteen minutes if he had Tauros pick up the pace. Ash leaned forward and Tauros began to gallop as fast as he could through the woods. As Ash rode away, he was unaware of the watching eyes that noticed him after he turned on his flashlight.

"I finally found you, Ketchum."

* * *

Near the far northern wilderness of the event area, a tall man was squatting up high in the tree branches and surveying the area as he looked for his prey. The man himself looked more feral than human and would have made most people afraid to approach him due to the intimidating appearance. The man stood at six foot ten and was well built that was gained through multiple years of training his body. His skin was tanned, almost bronze in color from countless days in the sun. His hair was dark red and his eyes were amber. Although they were not visible due to his clothing, his body was riddled with scars.

Throughout the day, Richard Ironfield had one goal in mind and he had failed to accomplish it. He had been attempting to find Derek Fiers after hearing Charles Goodshow's words about him being the son of a champion and was without a doubt very strong. As he searched for Derek throughout the day, he had encountered numerous trainers and was responsible for knocking almost six of them out of the tournament completely. He only had one point so far, but the points were currently the last thing on his mind. His patience was wearing thin as he tried to track down Derek and was beginning to wonder if he had been taken out.

"Tch, that'd be a disappointment," Richard scoffed, "I'd have to find the person who defeated him and battle them instead."

He brought his binoculars up to his eyes and scanned the area in front of him again. Richard had come up with the idea to relocate to a point and conduct a stakeout and wait for Derek to come to it and then ambush him there. It would save him all the breath of tracking him down and having to deal with weaker trainers. He wanted to keep his pokémon in prime condition to face Derek and battling weak trainers and wasting their energy was not going to help him.

"He shouldn't have been taken out. I was standing right by him during the ceremony and I could sense that power coming from him," Richard muttered as he looked at the objective again.

As he did another sweep of the area, his eyes caught some movement and his attention immediately snapped to the spot where he saw the brief movement. His adrenaline spiked as he anticipated who the person or pokémon would be. He got his wish when he saw someone's head slowly poke above the grass. The figure was a male and he had on a black beanie with AC/DC written on the front of it. There was also a Pikachu resting on his shoulder. While Richard was sure he just found Derek, he had to be sure it was him and the only way to determine that was the scar across his nose. The man turned and wicked grin spread across Richard's face as he saw the scar plain as day. His sharp canines were poking through his lips as he got ready to put his plan into motion.

"Alright Fiers, let's see if you're as strong as Goodshow claims," Richard chortled as he jumped from his perch and into the deep grass.

He would wait until Derek punched his point and then attack him with full force. His hands reached for his first Poké Ball that contained his Drapion to get the jump on Derek with a ranged attack. He watched with keen eyes as Derek ascended the stairs to get the fire symbol and quickly called Drapion out. Richard held a finger to his lips and then pointed up at Derek to relay the message. Drapion gave a curt nod and the pair of them watched as Derek got the point and pulled out his map to start planning his new route.

"Pin Missile!" Richard whispered.

Drapion pulled his pincers apart and pointed them at the top of the structure as they started to glow white. Multiple white streaks with razor sharp tips shot at the structure with quick speed. The attack was too fast for Derek to counter and Richard smirked as he saw the impending attack was now upon him. A surprised cry came from the top of the stairs as the Pin Missile attack hit it and multiple loud bangs filled the clearing as the missiles exploded when they hit it. Richard watched as Derek and his Pikachu rolled down the stairs in an effort to move and get behind some cover.

"Come out and play, Fiers! Show me what you got!" Richard said with a laugh.

* * *

Ash and Pikachu were now at the bottom of the large staircase to the tall pyramid like construct that held their next point. He recalled Tauros to his ball and he and Pikachu raced to the top as fast as they could. Their motivation grew as they reached the top and found the point and the hole puncher dangling from it, just waiting for them. Ash grinned at Pikachu and bolted for the puncher as he pulled out his slip of paper. His hands were trembling as he gripped the puncher and poked out the hole in his paper.

"That's two, buddy!" Ash said as he looked down at Pikachu.

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered.

"We got time to get one more tonight, so let's plot the next one and go get it!"

Ash pulled out his map and looked at it intently. The next point that was closest to him was to the northwest. Using his protractor and the pencil he had, he lined up the grid azimuth to the next point from his current one and then converted it to magnetic. He was now going to go 340 degrees for twenty kilometers. After he found the azimuth with his compass, he tucked it away along with his map. He walked out to the stairs and was ready to descend them but his eyes caught sight of something standing at the base of the stairs. His eyes narrowed as he tried to identify who was at the bottom. From what he could make out, the figure of the person appeared to be feminine and his hand rested on his belt.

"We got company, buddy," Ash warned as he looked down at Pikachu.

"Pi," Pikachu nodded as he glared down at the bottom.

Ash held out his arm and Pikachu climbed up to his shoulder. He then jumped on the side slant and let gravity carry him to the ground. The second he hit the ground, the trainer ran over to him and Ash knew he would not be able to get away that easily. He was now able to identify the girl in front of him as Tori West, the one that Barry warned him about before he left the rest area.

"I have to thank you for turning on your flashlight earlier, Ketchum," Tori said with a smirk. "If you didn't do that, I would have walked right by you."

"Well, you found me," Ash said as his fingers plucked one of the balls from his belt. "So what do you want?"

"You and I will have a full battle right here to prove who is the stronger of the two of us!"

"Fine."

* * *

Tori smirked and had her first Poké Ball in her hand and tossed it into the air. The ball opened with a crack and a large shape took form in front of them. The glow vanished and a Crawdaunt stood in its place, looking amped up for battle as it clicked its pincers in a threatening manner.

"Let's go!" Ash said as he threw his ball out.

The ball opened and Snorlax stood in front of Crawdaunt. Snorlax's lazy smile was plastered on his face as he looked at his opponent. Tori looked a little disappointed with Ash's first choice but shrugged it off as she got ready to start the battle.

"Crawdaunt, use Body Slam!" Tori yelled.

"Snorlax, Body Slam right back!" Ash shouted.

Crawdaunt scuttled at Snorlax and picked up speed to prepare and jump while Snorlax was already in the air after forcing himself off the ground. He managed to get a lot of air despite his large size and was now descending down on Crawdaunt quickly. Crawdaunt jumped up and puffed his chest out as he flew at Snorlax. While it may have been a bold attempt, it was futile. Gravity was on Snorlax's side and with his massive weight, he easily overpowered Crawdaunt and the two of them crashed into the ground. The ground shook a little bit upon impact and Crawdaunt let out a cry of pain from being crushed by the unimaginable weight.

"Nice job! Now use Mega Punch!" Ash cheered.

"Crawdaunt, Dig!" Tori countered back.

Snorlax stood up momentarily to focus power into his fist to deliver the strong attack, but after shifting his weight, it gave Crawdaunt the time to break free and burrow underground. Snorlax jumped at Crawdaunt as he dug under the surface and punched but missed and his punch connected with the solid ground. The ground gave a light tremor as Snorlax's punch created a small crater, displaying the power he could give off with the attack. With Crawdaunt out of sight, it made it very difficult to try and tell when and where he would surface to attack. Ash's eyes scanned the ground thoroughly to try and spot any form of movement to give Snorlax a warning.

"Snorlax, use Harden!" Ash barked.

Snorlax's body tensed up and a bright flash of white light illuminated the area before it vanished. When the light disappeared, Crawdaunt burst through the ground with its claws aimed up at Snorlax's stomach. Crawdaunt's first claw sunk into Snorlax's stomach due to his thick fat, but his second claw struck Snorlax across his face. The attack itself looked like it had little to no effect, thanks to Harden. The hit made Snorlax's head turn to the right a little bit, but he recollected himself and glared down at Crawdaunt.

"Grab Crawdaunt's claw and use Headbutt!" Ash ordered.

"Crawdaunt, use Crabhammer!" Tori countered.

Snorlax brought his head down with as much force as he could muster and Crawdaunt brought his free claw back and sent a vicious swing at Snorlax's arm. Both attacks met their mark and both pokémon broke jumped back from each other to deal with the pain. Snorlax clutched his arm after it was numbed from the swift chop and Crawdaunt was swaying after being dazed by the hard skull to skull contact.

"Swords Dance!" Tori shouted.

"Snorlax, use Mega Kick!" Ash barked.

Crawdaunt crossed his pincers and multiple transparent blades appeared around him and started to twirl in a fancy manner. While Crawdaunt was building up his power, Snorlax went to disrupt it with his own attack. He sped towards Crawdaunt and jumped in the air with both of his legs aiming for Crawdaunt's chest. Wham! Snorlax's feet smashed into Crawdaunt's chest cavity and his power stopped building. The force of the hit sent him to the ground and he hit it hard.

"Use Payback!" Tori bellowed.

"Dodge it, Snorlax!" Ash ordered.

Crawdaunt jumped to his feet with both of his claws glowing purple. He gave a couple threatening clicks with them and lunged at Snorlax, swinging both claws in a wild fashion. Snorlax dodged the first swing, but the second swing him on the shoulder. Snorlax fell back to his read and his arm hung limply by his side. Tori smirked as she saw her opportunity to finish the round.

"Finish it with Rockslide!" Tori yelled.

"Snorlax, use Hyper Beam!" Ash hollered.

Crawdaunt held both of his arms out and clicked his pincers rapidly. The ground shook as chunks of rock and clay hovered in the air after breaking from the earth's surface. As Crawdaunt was preparing to send the attack at Snorlax, Snorlax had his mouth opened wide as an orange and red ball of raw energy began to form inside of it. The ball of energy finished building and was begging to be released. Crawdaunt and Snorlax released both of their attacks at the same time. The massive chunks of rock and clay soared at Snorlax while a lone and powerful beam was sent at Crawdaunt with exceptional speed. Both attacks were going too fast to be dodged and they hit their marks dead on. The rocks and clay pelted Snorlax and garnered a loud cry of pain as the barrage of rough earth continued to hit him while the devastating beam slammed into Crawdaunt's side and blasted him off of his feet. Crawdaunt was sent into a tree and crashed to the ground in a crumbled heap.

Tori growled as she looked from Crawdaunt to Ash and Snorlax. Snorlax had sustained a lot of damage and appeared to be on his last legs, so that helped Tori relax as she still had time to make the deficit even. She held up Crawdaunt's ball and returned him to it before fishing out her next ball to take Snorlax out. The Poké Ball grew to its normal size from the miniature state and Tori tossed it into the battlefield.

"Cloyster, storm the field!" Tori shouted.

The ball opened and a Cloyster emerged from it, taking position in front of Snorlax who was busy recovering from using Hyper Beam. Ash, knowing Snorlax would be unable to move for a short time decided to make a switch and send out his next pokémon and he knew just the one he wanted to use. He held up Snorlax's ball and returned him to it.

"Snorlax, you did great. Take a break for now," Ash said as the red beam hit Snorlax and sucked him back in the ball.

"What are you doing? I'm not done battling Snorlax!" Tori snapped.

"I'm giving him a rest so he can give you another match later. So suck it up and get ready to face my next one."

"Chicken shit."

Ash frowned at Tori's overly aggressive attitude but soon glared at her for the name. He was by no means a chicken and for that he was more eager to beat her because of the insult. Selecting the next pokémon to battle, he wound his arm back and chucked the ball into the field. The ball opened with a loud snap and a tall shape started to take place and the white glow vanished to reveal Sceptile. Sceptile's eyes opened and locked with Cloyster's as he got ready to fight and take the next victory for Ash. He placed his signature twig in the corner of his mouth and rolled his shoulders as he glared at Cloyster.

"You'll need more than type advantage to wind, Ketchum!" Tori sneered.

"I already know this. I chose him for my own reasons and you'll find out why shortly," Ash replied with a calm attitude.

"Whatever. Cloyster, use Signal Beam!"

"Dodge with Quick Attack and then use Leaf Blade!"

Cloyster closed his shell but left a crack large enough for him to see and aim. Three white balls of light appeared around his front horn and began to spin until they aligned with each other and then merged into one large ball of light. The ball of light then turned into a rainbow color and shot from the horn like a bullet in a rainbow beam. The beam shot at Sceptile, but his speed made it an easy dodge as he charged in and swerved to the side. Sceptile brought both arms out and two long and curved sharp leaves extended from them as he closed the gap. He gave two quick slashes with Leaf Blade and smirked as he saw Cloyster's eyes screw shut in pain.

"Ice Beam!" Tori yelled.

"Sceptile, dodge and use Agility!" Ash countered back.

Cloyster regained composure and a light blue ball started to form on the tip of his spike just like it did with Signal Beam. He managed to turn just in time to catch a glimpse of Sceptile and fired the attack at him. Multiple light blue beams broke off from the ball and soared at Sceptile who saw them coming after he glanced over his shoulder. Sceptile attempted to swerve and dodge the Ice Beam, but moved at the last second and caught a piece of the attack and winced as it froze his right arm in a block of ice.

"Use Spike Cannon!" Tori shouted.

"Sceptile, break that ice by having the spikes hit it!" Ash yelled.

Cloyster's shell opened his shell a little bit and razor sharp spikes shot from the darkness. The barrage of spikes that flew towards Sceptile came hard and fast. Sceptile did as he was ordered to by Ash and raised his arm that was trapped in ice and peered over it to try and have the spikes crack it open. The first spike that came hit the ice block dead center and managed to chip it. Sceptile swerved in-between two oncoming spikes and readied the ice block to take another hit. Another spike was coming for his chest and he placed the ice in front of it. The force of the hit made Sceptile skid back a little as the ice chipped again, this time adding a deep crack.

"Water Pulse!" Tori barked.

"Dodge and use Quick Attack!" Ash ordered.

A light blue orb of energy took shape on Cloyster's horn and continued to build in power to hit Sceptile. Sceptile was speeding towards Cloyster with no hope of being stopped. Cloyster fired the blue orb at Sceptile at pointblank range after he closed the gap with Quick Attack. Sceptile raised the block of ice to deflect the incoming attack. The Water Pulse was the final hit it took for the ice to shatter, but the strength of the attack was enough to continue on through the ice and hit Sceptile hard in the face. Sceptile came to a halt and shook his head as he tried to clear his ears of the excess water.

"Poison Jab!" Tori bellowed.

The spike atop of Cloyster's head started to glow purple as the toxins coursed through it and Cloyster lunged at Sceptile who was still recovering. The spike hit Sceptile hard in the torso and sent him skidding back. Sceptile took a knee to recollect himself from the damage he took and attempted to stand up, but ended up falling to his knee again. His body gave a spasm and was covered in a light purple texture before it vanished. The attack successfully poisoned Sceptile and now it was slowly draining his stamina.

"Bullet Seed, let's go!" Ash shouted.

"Iron Defense!" Tori countered quickly.

Sceptile opened his mouth and multiple yellow glowing seed like bullets shot out of his mouth with high velocity and directly for Cloyster who was preparing to defend itself from the attack. Cloyster was outlined in a blue aura as the Bullet Seed started pelting him and smirked as the attack ricocheted off and hit neighboring objects.

"Aqua Ring," Tori said, snapping her fingers.

"Use Leaf Storm, quick!" Ash yelled.

Cloyster was starting to surround himself in a ball of water to recover from the damage Sceptile dealt to him and Sceptile got ready to unleash one of his most devastating attacks. The buds on Sceptile's back started to glow white and a whirlwind of razor sharp leaves began to swirl around him. He brought back both of his fists and punched them at Cloyster, sending the leaves directly for him. Ash smirked when he saw Tori's surprised face after the leaves successfully broke through the water defense surrounding Cloyster and pelted him mercilessly. The water around Cloyster dispersed and soaked the ground around him. Cloyster was still for a moment before tipping over on his side.

"That's two!" Ash cheered, "Nice job, Sceptile!"

"Damn-it, damn-it, damn-it!" Tori cursed as she withdrew Cloyster.

"You're pretty strong, I'll give you that."

"I'm just getting warmed up! I will beat you!"

Tori had a new Poké Ball in her hand and was getting ready to send out her next Pokémon. Ash decided to take Sceptile out and give him a breather so he could be used from later. He took Snorlax's ball out once again and tossed it to the center. Snorlax reemerged from the ball and was ready to go again. Tori's ball opened and a Feraligatr appeared, baring its sharp teeth at Snorlax as it prepared to fight. Now eager for some payback after having two pokémon taken out, Tori glared at Snorlax as she pointed at him.

"Feraligatr, use Aqua Jet!" Tori yelled.

"Counter with Mega Punch!" Ash shouted.

Feraligatr jumped into the air and was surrounded with water before darting towards Snorlax with high speed. Snorlax's arm was wound back as his fist started to glow white with power as he got ready to intercept the incoming attack. Both Snorlax and Feraligatr landed their hits with Feraligatr diving headfirst into Snorlax and Snorlax driving his fist into Feraligatr's chest. It appeared Snorlax took more damage after the hit as Feraligatr managed to shake off the strong punch that Snorlax hit him with.

"Snorlax, use Rest!" Ash ordered.

"Use Crunch!" Tori yelled.

Snorlax fell to his back and fell into a deep sleep to recover just as Feraligatr lunged at him. Feraligatr's jaws opened wide and clamped down on Snorlax's arm with a snap. Snorlax's face scrunched up in pain from the bite as he slept. Ash hoped he could get Snorlax to use the next move after he found out he learned it during one of the training sessions.

"Now use Sleep Talk!" Ash shouted.

Snorlax, still asleep, jumped to his feet and jumped high into the air. Tori was briefly caught off guard by Snorlax's sudden movement but didn't let it stop her. Still eager to defeat Ash, she gave her next order.

"Dodge and use Bulldoze!" Tori barked.

Feraligatr jumped out of the way just in time to avoid the Body Slam from Snorlax. As Snorlax landed on his stomach to finish the Body Slam, Feraligatr jumped on top of Snorlax and started to stomp hard on his back.

"Finish it with Brick Break!" Tori sneered.

Feraligatr brought his fist up and chopped down at the back of Snorlax's head, knocking him out. He jumped off Snorlax and growled at his defeated opponent. Ash returned Snorlax to his ball and thanked him for his attempt. He knew that the chances of that move working in his favor was slim, but he was impressed that Snorlax pulled the move off with ease. Clipping the ball back to his belt, he turned and looked down at Pikachu. Pikachu looked back with a determined look on his face.

"Alright buddy, you're up," Ash said, nodding at the field.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied as he ran onto the field.

"Feraligatr, use Shadow Claw!"

"Quick Attack!"

Feraligatr ran at Pikachu with his outstretched arm being covered in a black aura and Pikachu charged at Feraligatr with his well-known speed. Pikachu jumped at Feraligatr and did a head on collision with his head smashing into Feraligatr's. Feraligatr's attack stopped as he stumbled back from the head splitting attack. While Pikachu bounced back and glared at Feraligatr, ready for more.

"Feraligatr, use Brick Break!" Tori yelled.

"Pikachu, counter back with Iron Tail!" Ash shouted.

Feraligatr jumped at Pikachu quickly and brought his fist up as it coursed with power. Pikachu was ready with his own attack as his tail was coated in the familiar iron as he jumped up to intercept the blow. There was a clang as Feraligatr's claws bounced off of Pikachu's tail, surprising him. Pikachu used his momentum as he fell back to the ground to swing his bottom half back up and smash his tail under Feraligatr's jaw. The hit landed successfully and managed to lift Feraligatr into the air briefly. Feraligatr landed on his feet and shook his head to shake off the pain.

"Nice job, Pikachu! Now run at him again!" Ash said with a grin.

"Feraligatr, use Aqua Jet!" Tori yelled.

Feraligatr jumped in the air and was covered in water once again as he soared towards Pikachu in a nosedive. Pikachu closed the gap with his running and was just upon Feraligatr when Ash made his next call.

"Now jump and spin using Thunderbolt!"

The wind pressure coming from Feraligatr's attack was enough to keep Pikachu's spin going as he sailed beside him. Pikachu's cheeks crackled with electricity and then he released the powerful bolt. The bolt hit the jet of water and enveloped both Feraligatr and Pikachu as the water conducted it. Feraligatr let out a loud cry of pain as the strong shocks coursed through his body. Feraligatr's attack ended and he kneeled on the ground as he tried to recuperate from the attack Pikachu hit him with. Pikachu spun around and sparks shot off of his cheeks as he glared at Feraligatr's back.

"Finish it with Volt Tackle!" Ash yelled.

"Feraligatr, use Roar!" Tori hollered.

Pikachu had started running at Feraligatr when Tori gave the order. Feraligatr turned around and took a deep breath as he watched Pikachu draw closer to him. He opened his mouth and gave a ferocious roar, stopping Pikachu in his tracks. Pikachu stopped and trembled with fear and was then blasted back to Ash. Ash caught Pikachu and set him gently on the ground.

"Don't worry buddy, you did good," Ash said.

"Pi!" Pikachu replied with a nod.

Ash tossed Sceptile's ball back in and he emerged from the ball placing his stick back in the corner of his mouth. Tori was glad he did that because now she had the chance to take out another one of his pokémon that had sustained a decent amount of damage.

"Feraligatr, use Ice Punch!" Tori shouted.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!" Ash yelled.

Feraligatr and Sceptile jumped at each other with their attacks. Feraligatr's fist was covered in a light blue aura and Sceptile had a long and curved sharp leaf extend from his elbow. Both of them swung at each other and skidded away and were now back to back. Seconds ticked by and then Feraligatr fell face first to the ground.

"Yes! That's three down!" Ash cheered.

Sceptile rolled his shoulder and brushed off some of the ice that formed on it after he got a piece of the attack. He took his stick out of his mouth and walked back over to Ash, shaking his head along the way. Tori returned Feraligatr to his ball with a growl and was getting more frustrated. Ash had been making quick work of her and she only had two pokémon left. She forgot that each trainer only had one pokémon restore per day throughout the event and she already used hers after battling Barry from earlier. The little voice in the back of her head told her to accept defeat and try again later, but her overly aggressive attitude made her ignore the voice and strive to continue.

"Tentacruel, storm the field!" Tori yelled, tossing her next ball out.

The ball opened and then a large Tentacruel appeared before Sceptile. Sceptile narrowed his eyes and placed the stick back in the corner of his mouth as he locked eyes with the jellyfish pokémon. Tentacruel glared back at Sceptile and taunted him with her tentacles.

"Tentacruel, use Toxic Spikes!" Tori shouted.

_"Crap, not those things!"_ Ash thought, _"Wait a minute. I wonder…"_

Ash closed his eyes and thought about the counter shields he managed to have Buizel, Pikachu and Infernape use in the past. He thought about Sceptile and then snapped his fingers. It was worth a shot and hopefully it would work out in his favor.

"Sceptile, spin on your back and use Bullet Seed!" Ash ordered.

Sceptile glanced back at Ash with a questioning look but one look at him told him to trust the call. He dropped to his back and started spinning, all the while firing the yellow glowing seeds at the falling purple wisps. The seeds were sent all over the place, hitting trees, bushes, the ground and some even shot into the sky and out of sight. The seeds that touched the wisps vanished, but at the same time they canceled out the spikes. Ash pumped his fist at his successful counter.

_"I gotta' think of a new name for that! Bullet Shield? Bullet Storm?"_ Ash pondered before giving a shrug, _"I'll think of something later."_

Ash was so lost in thought that he didn't realize that some of the Bullet Seeds had hit Tentacruel and caused some decent damage against her. Sceptile got to his feet and smirked at Tentacruel for stopping her attack. He fell to his knee after his body glowed purple for a brief second as his poison status inflicted more damage to him.

"Tentacruel, grab Sceptile with your tentacles!" Tori shouted.

"Dodge it and use Solar Beam!" Ash countered back.

Tentacruel's tentacles managed to get the jump on Sceptile and wrapped tightly around his leg and hoisted him into the air as he continued to build power for Solar Beam. Sceptile tried to struggle free, but one swing and slam into the ground from Tentacruel's tentacle stunned him again.

"Use Toxic Spikes!" Tori yelled.

Tentacruel fired another purple ball high into the air to set up the status inflicting attack. Sceptile continued squirming to break free, but the grip on his leg only tightened and made his face scrunch up in discomfort. The purple ball burst and the purple wisps fell onto the field and were absorbed into the ground.

"Slam Sceptile into the ground and then use Ice Beam!" Tori ordered.

"Sceptile, use Quick Attack to break free!" Ash yelled.

Sceptile gave a hard tug against Tentacruel's grip when he was raised into the air to be slammed into the ground again. The sudden movement was just enough to squirm out of Tentacruel's grasp as Sceptile broke free and turned around to face her. He landed on the ground and tensed up as the Toxic Spikes began to permeate his body. Tentacruel had a light blue ball form in front of her and then it shot at Sceptile with impressive speed. The Ice Beam soared straight for Sceptile who was still fighting against the Toxic Spikes. Sceptile, not able to move fast enough to dodge did the next best thing. He aligned his shot and opened his mouth to fire the Solar Beam. The buds on Sceptile's back glowed white and then a large and white bright beam launched out of Sceptile's mouth and continued for Tentacruel.

Both beams of power soared for their targets and sailed by each other, side by side. Sceptile was hit first and went rigid as the frozen beam of ice made a direct hit on his chest and blasted him to the ground, covering his torso in thick ice. Tentacruel was his straight on the head with the Solar Beam and let out a cry as the devastating attack smashed into her. A loud boom echoed around the wood and when the smoke cleared, Tentacruel had fallen to the ground in a heap, ending the round in a double knockout.

"Nice job, Sceptile. Take a long rest," Ash said as he returned Sceptile to his ball.

"Damn-it!" Tori yelled in anger as she recalled Tentacruel.

Ash and Pikachu looked at Tori and frowned at her poor sportsmanship. She should be having fun battling, not angry that she was losing. Ash crossed his arms and withheld from sending Pikachu back out. He wasn't going to battle Tori until she explained why she was in a foul mood.

"You know, if you keep this up I'm going to leave," Ash warned, "what's the point of battling someone if they're going to act like a sore loser?"

"You're not going anywhere, Ketchum! I still have one pokémon left!" Tori retorted.

"I can do whatever I want. You're not the boss of me and unless you give me a good reason for why you are in such a bad mood, this fight is done."

"I already told you! I wanted to battle you!"

"There's more to that."

"No there's not!"

"I'm leaving."

Ash turned around and started to walk away but stopped when Tori gave a frustrated scream.

"Fine! If you really want to know, it's because of how you did in the Sinnoh League against Tobias!"

"What does that have to do with your behavior?" Ash asked as he turned back to her.

"I saw that you took out two legendary pokémon consecutively before you lost and I wanted to battle you to test my skills! My dream is to be a member of the Johto Elite Four and I can't accomplish that unless I am able to beat some of the strongest trainers that have been recognized by the Pokémon League!"

"So you're mad because you're losing to me?"

"It's not so much that as it is that Barry was right! If I can't defeat you, how can I become an Elite Four member?"

Tori looked down and swore loudly as she clenched her fists. Ignoring the coarse language, Ash sighed and looked back down at Pikachu. Pikachu appeared to look at Tori with some pity.

"How can you better yourself then?" Ash asked.

"By continuing to battle stronger trainers like you to hone my skills," Tori grumbled.

"Right. Now let's finish this battle. If you lose, smile, accept it and get back up."

"Fine."

Tori fished out her last ball and looked at it before winding her arm back. Ash jerked his thumb back to the field and Pikachu jumped back in with sparks emitting from his cheeks once again.

"Gyarados, let's go!" Tori cried.

The ball opened and the giant sea serpent pokémon appeared in front of Pikachu. Gyarados' red eyes bore into Pikachu's brown and they sent the message that they were both thinking. Gyarados bared her fangs as she glared down at Pikacu and waited for Tori's orders.

"Gyarados, use Aqua Tail!" Tori ordered.

"Dodge it and use Quick Attack!" Ash barked.

Gyarados' tail was coated in a thick veil of water and she brought it up before swinging it down with impressive force. Pikachu jumped to the left, avoiding the tail and watched as it smashed into the ground and kicked up chunks of dirt and grass. He charged and Gyarados and dove headfirst into her. Gyarados took the hit, but did not look too affected by it.

"Bounce, now!" Tori shouted.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

Gyarados sprung high into the air and managed to avoid Pikachu's Thunderbolt. The bolt fell short and hit a tree branch, breaking it off the tree. The tree branch fell to the ground with a crash and Pikachu dodged it to get ready to attack Gyarados again. Gyarados started to descend to the ground by lying straight as a board.

"Pikachu, dodge it and use Iron Tail!" Ash ordered.

Gyarados slammed into the ground and shook the ground doing so. Her body landed on top of Pikachu, blocking him from sight. Ash's stomach dropped at seeing his friend get crushed by the large pokémon and was praying he somehow managed to dodge the attack. Gyarados slithered forwad and Ash let out a sigh of relief to see that Pikachu had sought shelter in the hole that Gyarados created with Aqua Tail earlier. He didn't get away unscathed as he had some bruises and cuts on his back.

Pikachu jumped out of the hole and began climbing up Gyarados' body to deliver his own attack as an act of payback. Gyarados felt Pikachu climbing up her and started to thrash around to throw him off. Pikachu was able to maintain his balance as he continued his climb.

"Gyarados, Bounce again!" Tori barked.

Gyarados shot high into the air again and Pikachu was flattened against her back as the wind pinned him to it. Fighting through it, Pikachu managed to break free and charged up to Gyarados' head just as they stopped their ascension. The pair of them started to fall and Pikachu was no longer on top of Gyarados as he had fallen off when they started to descend. Gyarados hit the ground first and looked up to see Pikachu still falling towards her.

"Stone Edge, let's go!" Tori shouted.

"Do it, Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

Two rings of sharp rocks formed around Gyarados' body and fired at Pikachu. Pikachu was ready and began doing somersaults towards Gyarados after covering his tail with iron once again. Multiple clangs filled the area as Pikachu's metal tail broke through the rocks and sent them away. He did one last flip and slammed his tail on top of Gyarados' crown, using the momentum to jump into the air again. Gyarados let out a roar of pain as the attack hit her and tried to shake it off to continue fighting.

"Use Dragon Tail!" Tori yelled.

Gyarados fought through the aching headache and brought her tail around as it started to glow blue with power. As Pikachu neared the ground, Gyarados swung her tail and it hit him with tremendous force. Pikachu gave a cry of pain as he had the wind knocked out of him after the attack collided with his stomach and sent him to a nearby tree. Wham! The tree gave a violent shudder as Pikachu hit it and slumped to the ground.

"Pikachu, get up, quick!" Ash urged.

"Dragon Rage, now!" Tori shouted.

Pikachu's body trembled as he tried to push himself off the cold ground. He cracked an eye open and watched as Gyarados' mouth opened wide and blue and black energy started to build inside of it. Not wanting to get hit with the attack, Pikachu fought through the pain and managed to gingerly push himself to his feet. He let out a couple of pants of exhaustion as he glared back up at Gyarados. Gyarados had finished storing the power and looked down at Pikachu before releasing the power she had saved. A blue and black jet of energy shot for Pikachu and took the form of a dragon's head as it came for him. Almost petrified with awe from the incoming attack, he managed to jump at the last second.

A loud boom echoed around the woods again as the Dragon Rage attack hit the tree and it exploded into mere splinters. Dust and smoke filled the area and allowed Pikachu to move with the added concealment.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash barked.

Pikachu jumped high into the air after charging electricity in his cheeks and cried out as he fired the bolt at Gyarados. The bolt of lightning hit Gyarados in the back and it roared in pain as the electricity flowed through her body. When the attack ended, Pikachu landed on the ground and winced as he bruises on his body gave a painful throb. Gyarados turned to him with angry eyes and got ready to attack again.

"Use Ice Fang!" Tori shouted.

Gyarados went to move, but froze and her body tensed up once again. Electricity suddenly surrounded Gyarados and prevented her from moving to carry out Tori's order. Pikachu's Thunderbolt must have passed the paralysis effect on after hitting Gyarados. The surprise turn of event gave Ash the time he needed to possibly end the battle.

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu wasted no time and dashed at Gyarados while she was still being affected by the paralysis. His body was covered in a yellow aura as electricity surrounded it and he picked up speed. Pikachu leaped into the air and as his entire being was crackling with electricity and crashed into Gyarados' stomach. At first there was silence but it was then replaced as a loud bang reverberated around the trees, followed by a loud clap of thunder. A small cloud of smoke hung in the air where Pikachu hit Gyarados and he emerged from the cloud with a flip and landed on the ground with ease. His body gave a spasm as the recoil hit him and he rested his hand against the ground to stay up.

Gyarados fell to the ground with a crash and her head fell behind Pikachu's body, eyes sealed shut. Pikachu was breathing hard from the energy he had used and didn't bother looking back at Gyarados, knowing the battle was done.

* * *

"Alright!" Ash cheered.

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered as he hurried to Ash and climbed up his shoulder.

"Nice job, buddy! You did great!"

Pikachu smiled and nuzzled Ash's head as he celebrated the victory they shared. While they were celebrating, Tori sunk to her knees and looked down at the ground in defeat. She was in denial at first after being beaten and was angry that she lost. Her thoughts drifted to what Barry had told her towards the end of their battle earlier that day.

_/Flashback/_

_"You're wasting your time. If you battle Ash, you will not win," Barry said as he shook his head._

_"How do you know that, huh?" Tori demanded._

_"You saw for yourself, right? His pokémon took out two legendary pokémon back to back. He is in a whole other league than you are."_

_/Flashback End/_

Tori let out a frustrated sigh and raised Gyarados' ball, returning her to it. She looked at the ball and nodded at it as a form of thanks. She slammed her fist against the ground before standing up in silence. She looked up at Ash and saw him looking back at her with an expecting stare.

"What?" Tori snapped.

"Remember what I told you. Don't dwell on this loss," Ash replied as he walked over to her. "I've done that and I have to tell you, it's terrible. You get that gut feeling in your stomach that you won't amount to anything and you continue to beat yourself up over the loss when you should really be moving on."

"Easier said than done. I hate losing."

"Suck it up. Losing is something everyone experiences. Whether or not you acknowledge you lost and attempt to fix your mistakes is what makes you stronger. Sitting around and moping about it won't do jack."

Tori shifted her gaze and looked at the ground. She hated admitting things after they were pointed out to her by others, but she knew deep down that Ash was right. Her defeat felt like a bitter taste in her mouth and she was fairly upset that she was now out of the tournament entirely. She was wishing she followed the advice from the voice in her head telling her to stop the battle and try again later, but her determination to beat Ash and overly aggressive nature led to her downfall. Tori remained silent as she let Ash's words flood her head. An automated voice came from the tree behind Tori.

**"Trainer Tori West has been eliminated from the event and the tournament. The victor is Ash Ketchum,"** the voice said.

The voice made the pair of them glance up at the tree. They could see a small speaker hidden under some leaves and a small bird with a glowing red eye, indicating that it was a camera. Tori's head lowered and she stared at the ground. Not wanting to stay and draw any more attention than he may have with his battle against Tori, Ash summoned Tauros from his ball and climbed on. He looked back at Tori one last time before tapping Tauros with his heels and they rode off in the direction of their next point.

"Let's get going. We're behind and I don't want to stick around to get attacked again," Ash said.

Tauros gave a snort and started galloping as fast as he could towards their next destination. Ash knew he would have to stop and find a rest area to allow his pokémon to recover. Tori had proved to be a fairly strong trainer after taking out Snorlax, Sceptile and almost taking down Pikachu. He glanced down at Pikachu and saw that his eyes were starting to droop with exhaustion.

"Hang in there buddy," Ash said as he scratched Pikachu's head. "We'll get you to the rest area and fixed up before heading back out."

Ash looked up at the starry sky and started to wonder how many trainers were now out of the tournament. He successfully took one out on his own and added to that count. He was also curious as to how his rivals were holding up. His minds drifted back to Barry, Paul, Jayleen, Tony, Lily and Derek. He was sure they were doing fine, but only the leaderboard at the next rest area would give him his answer.

_"Just watch, Dad. I'm going to win this whole tournament,"_ Ash thought as he, Pikachu and Tauros continued through the dark forest.

* * *

**Aaaand done! So Ash displays his skill and is responsible for a knockout in the tournament. Good lord writing an almost full battle is taxing and really takes a lot out of you. I was procrastinating writing this but after listening to the new Five Finger Death Punch single, "Lift Me Up" featuring Rob Halford from Judas Priest *Hell yeah!* on loop, I just went to town on this and got it done. Now for a future note, don't expect full matches for every battle. Most matches will be 1 vs 1 or 3 vs 3 since these long ones take forever to write. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Keep in mind what I said. I'll try to get one more update out next week before I leave, but if I don't get it out by the 30th, don't expect to see it until the end of July. Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for the points and story shout outs at the end here. Make sure to wish your father a good Father's Day. I spent mine writing this as I grilled with my old man and cracked a couple cold ones with him. Until next time. Later. -Captain**

**OCs Introduced:**

**Richard Ironfield: (Silverscale)**

**Points:**

**1.) Ash losing two Pokémon in his battle against Tori. Granted that Snorlax and Sceptile are strong, bear in mind that everyone in this tournament is strong as well. I wanted Ash to put up a good fight and not pull off a complete sweep without losing a Pokémon because then he'd appear invincible in my mind and I don't want that. I want Ash to be strong, but I still want him to be vulnerable. I had him lose two Pokémon to appear like he's still learning and progressing as a trainer or else all I'm doing is glorifying him and not showing any development of his character.**

**2.) Ash's use of Sceptile's Bullet Seed and Counter Shield strategy. I thought that would be something interesting to introduce to one of his best Pokémon, so I combined them both and as you can see I was trying to have Ash come up with a name for it. All I could think of was Bullet Storm or Bullet Shield. I want to hear your thoughts on that and feel free to pick one of those names. Feel free to mention your own suggestion in a review if you can think of one.**

**3.) Points to the one who can guess where I got the idea for the chapter title. The hint is that it relates to a rock star.**

**4.) If anyone plays Xbox Live, I'm on every now and then. Not as much as I used to be, but I still play Battlefield 3 and Black Ops II from time to time. Feel free to hit me up if you're online. My gamertag is UnsaddledDread.**

**Story Shout Outs:**

**"From Darkness Comes Light" by PhatomStorm:**

**You can run as far as you can, hide as long as you can, but the past will catch up to you. Natalie and her Luxray get the chance to start their lives over in the Unova region. Here they meet new people, experience new adventures, romance and a chance to forget. But with this, a new enemy rises and an old enemy comes back. Accepting OCs more info inside.**

**"Luke's Pokémon Adventure: Kanto" by Pikachu0311:**

**The first story in the 'Luke's Pokémon Adventure' series. Follow Luke as he travels the Kanto region in order to become a Pokémon Master! My first fanfic. Hope you all like it. Accepting OCs.**

******"Time of Courage" by FiammaJoule: **

******When there's nowhere left to run, where do you go? When the government is after you and everyone appears to be your enemy, who do you turn to? Not your friends and not your family. After all is said and done, you only have each other and your Pokemon. It's time to step up and steel your courage if you want to survive.**

**"One Soul Two Visages" by Tendou Souji**

**Assigned a task by the goddess of death, Reaper saw fit to exploit a loophole during a bout of nonchalance. His opportunistic mind beckoning him, he broke down the barriers between dimensions and plucked out random soul to carry out the task in his place. A discover that everything is preordained shall be reached, for the soul's identity all but shatters the thought of chance.**


	18. Above and Beyond

**Hey everybody, guess who's got two thumbs, is back from training, turned 21 and is now back with a new chapter for your enjoyment? This guy! Like I said, the end of July is when you would all be able to see an update for this, and here it is! So let's get to the chapter! Be sure to read the end author's note at the bottom for information and points.**

**Chapter Summary: Ash manages to reach the next rest area after gaining his second point and knocking Tori West out of the tournament. He continues his training with Red and comes to a couple of realizations that will be critical to his development in becoming a Pokémon Master. **

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Ash, Pikachu and Tauros were exhausted as they trudged into the rest area. The battle he had against Tori just a little over an hour ago had taken a heavier toll on him than he thought. His tired eyes glanced at his watch and he lightly pushed the button on the side, allowing it to illuminate the screen. He had to get his pokémon to the recovery unit before midnight or else he would use up his recovery point for the next day. It was now 11:50 P.M. and he started scanning for a large tent with a red cross on it. He was barely able to make out the cross through the darkness and had Tauros trot over to the entrance. Ash dismounted Tauros and returned Tauros to his ball and gave him a gentle pat on his mane for a job well done for the day.

"Get some rest, Tauros. We'll need it for tomorrow," Ash said with a yawn as he attached the ball to his belt.

Ash gently rubbed Pikachu's head as he slept on his shoulder. He decided to call it a night as he did manage to accomplish his goal of getting his second point. He entered the tent and could see one of the many Nurse Joys standing behind a table and he trudged over to her. It was at this point that Ash noticed a lot of other trainers were sleeping on little cots in the tent. Arriving at the counter, Ash pulled off his belt of Poké Balls and set it on the counter in front of Nurse Joy who gave him a friendly smile in greeting.

"How are you doing so far tonight?" Joy asked as she took the balls and put a paper label on them.

"Not bad, but I'm exhausted," Ash replied with another yawn. "Are there any other cots in here now?"

"I'm sorry, but the last cot for this tent was taken just a few minutes ago. There may be some in the other tents by the leaderboard outside."

"Alright, that'll work."

"Before you go, I need you to give me your name so I can mark your pokémon to prevent any mix-ups."

Ash rubbed his eyes and wrote his name on the paper label before setting the pen down. Joy gave him another smile before heading deeper into the tent. She returned moments later and bowed her head.

"Your pokémon are recovering and should be ready by tomorrow morning," Joy informed. "You should get some sleep, Ash."

"I won't argue with you on that one," Ash answered with a light chuckle. "Thanks again, Nurse Joy. Goodnight."

Ash waved goodnight to Joy and departed the tent to go and search for an empty cot to get some sleep. He stepped out into night and was greeted by a cool breeze. He rubbed his eyes and made his way to the tents by the leaderboard and was silently hoping that there was one open cot that he could crash on for the night and recover for tomorrow. As he was about to enter the first tent, his eyes caught sight of the leaderboard and he decided to take one last look at it for the night. His feet carried him over to the giant screen and he took off his hat to air out his hair as he observed the large monitor.

From what he could see, it appeared that the status for each person was the same since he made his way from the last rest area to get his second point. He looked at his portrait and was able to see that his position overall had changed. He had been tied in fourth with a plethora of others who were unable to retrieve two points, but now he moved up to third along with Barry, Paul, Yue and Jayleen. Tony and Lily were still tied at fourth with a pair of trainers, Danny McBride and Claire Atwood. Derek, Tobias and Specter were still in the lead, now with four points, each of them having only one left to retrieve. Out of the three of them, Derek had taken the most damage and was now down three pokémon, while Tobias and Specter had only lost one. Ash silently wondered if Specter and Tobias encountered each other if they both were only down one pokémon.

His eyes noticed a small letter on his portrait that read K and he crossed his arms as he tried to figure it out. Beside the letter was a single number and he quickly concluded that the K stood for knockouts of a trainer. So far between him and his rivals, he and Paul were the only ones with knockouts with Paul beating him by two.

"Tomorrow will be different. I'll be ahead by the end of the day," Ash muttered as he turned around to head for the tent.

Ash entered the tent and turned on his flashlight to try and find an empty cot. The tent was packed with trainers that were sleeping soundly to be ready for the next day. His eyes managed to fall on a cot towards the back end of the tent. He tiptoed his way over to the bed and weaved between the narrow spaces with ease to avoid bumping anybody as they slept. Reaching the bed, Ash dropped his bag at the base and kicked his shoes off before plopping down on it. He was too tired to dig his sleeping bag out of his pack and immediately closed his eyes as his head hit the pillow.

* * *

Ash's eyes fluttered open and he was once again standing in the cave. He was pumped up and ready to face Red's next pokémon. He was certain that Red's next pokémon would be no pushover and if anything, their encounters and battles were really going to get tougher from here on in. His hands pulled the balls off of his belt and he released them into the air and they opened, allowing Sceptile, Buizel, Tauros, Snorlax and Infernape appear before him. Pikachu climbed up on his shoulder with a determined look on his face.

"Let's get warmed up guys," Ash said as he started to stretch out, "Red will be here soon and I have to tell you that this will probably get tougher from here on in."

His team all nodded and began to do their own stretches to limber up and prepare for the upcoming battle with Red. As they stretched, Ash kept his eyes peeled for Red, all the while trying to think about what pokémon he would be facing tonight.

_"So far I've fought an Electric-type and a Grass-type. He's probably not type dependent, but more focused on a balanced team with his pokémon having moves to counter their disadvantages,"_ Ash thought.

He rolled his shoulders and scanned the room again. Red still had yet to show up and he glanced at his watch to see how much time had elapsed since he arrived. He frowned when he saw that it had been almost ten minutes since he and his pokémon started stretching and was beginning to wonder if Red was not going to show. He heard footsteps coming from the shadows and looked up to see Red appear with his trademark, calm look. Ash crossed his arms and gave him and expecting stare. Red raised a brow as he tossed a Poké Ball up and down while walking to his end of the field.

"Yes?" Red asked as he looked at Ash.

"Are you going to tell me what took you so long? I was beginning to think you weren't coming," Ash replied.

"I come when I'm ready. So let's get down to business."

Ash shrugged off Red's response and took his position on the field. He whistled over to his pokémon and they hurried over to him, looking eager to battle against a pokémon that exuded power. Red continued tossing his ball up and down while he got ready express his concern to Ash about a particular pokémon type he always struggled facing.

"Ash, today instead of having you battle the pokémon I wanted to test you with, I decided to have you battle a certain type," Red said as he held on to the ball after it landed in his hand again.

"What type would that be?" Ash asked.

"The pokémon I'm having you battle is a regular in my line-up. However, I've seen a constant struggle with you facing trainers that specialize in this type."

"So are you going to tell me what it is?"

Red said nothing as he threw his Poké Ball out to the field and let it open with a loud snap. A large shape started to materialize on the field and the glow vanished to reveal a Snorlax.

"A Normal-type?" Ash asked as he looked at Red.

"That's right," Red replied with a nod.

"I've struggled against this type? I've fought against Normal-types a bunch of times and won without too much difficulty."

"Against trainers of your caliber, yes. If you heard what I said, I was referring to trainers that put their time and energy into this type alone. They know these types inside out and can trump against any trainer. Do I have to remind you with what happened against Whitney and Norman?"

Ash said nothing as he looked at the ground and sheepishly scratched the back of his head. He did remember what happened against Whitney and Norman on his earlier journeys. He looked back up at Red and saw he was waiting for him to send out his first pokémon.

"Ash, I only want you to choose two pokémon for this fight. I don't care who you choose, because I want to show you that despite whatever advantage you think you have, a trainer of a higher caliber always triumphs against you with this type," Red said.

"Aren't you being a little arrogant with that claim?" Ash asked.

"I'm not being arrogant when I'm telling you the truth. You'll see that I'm right when you lose against me here."

"Not going to happen!"

"We'll see. Now, send out your pokémon and we can begin."

Ash turned back to his pokémon and cupped his chin as he thought about the two that he wanted to use. After debating with his thoughts, he came to his decision. He decided to go with a hard hitter and speedster. Snorlax and Pikachu stepped out of the line and stood by Ash's side. Ash looked back at Red to see if his expression changed at all from the two pokémon he chose but still saw the same neutral look on his face.

"Snorlax, get out there!" Ash said nodding at the field.

Snorlax nodded and jumped into the field and stared down Red's Snorlax. Red said nothing and Ash took that as his cue to take the first move. He was eager to show Red that he was wrong with what he said and that he could easily counter back against a Normal-type.

"Snorlax, use Mega Punch!" Ash hollered.

"Snor, dodge and use Crunch!" Red countered back.

Ash's Snorlax jumped for Red's Snorlax, Snor, and brought his fist back as it started to glow white with power. Snor easily sidestepped the attack and jumped for Snorlax as he came to a grinding halt after missing with his attack. Snor's mouth opened wide and his sharp teeth were ready to sink into Snorlax.

"Snorlax, use Harden, quick!" Ash barked

Snorlax turned to face Snor as he was jumping at him and was getting ready to defend himself, but that was not to be. Snor proved to be quicker and collided head on with Snorlax and sunk his teeth into Snorlax's arm and gained a loud cry of pain from him doing so. Snorlax swung his arm hard to shake Snor off, but it was not working.

"Snor, follow up with Body Slam!" Red yelled.

Snor released Snorlax's arm from his mouth and jumped high into the air. Snorlax looked up to see Snor beginning to descend on him quickly.

"Snorlax, dodge and use Headbutt!" Ash shouted.

Snorlax jumped back just in time to avoid being crushed by Snor and watched as Snor hit the ground with a thunderous crash. He jumped at Snor just as he stood to his feet smashed headfirst into his chest. Snor's face scrunched up in pain as he took the heavy hit and was slowly being pushed back. Red wasn't going to allow Snorlax to get the best of Snor and had his next move ready to go.

"Snor, stop Snorlax and use Blizzard!" Red yelled.

"Snorlax, use Ice Punch!" Ash cried.

Snor pressed his feet hard into the ground to prevent himself from being pushed back any further. He finally managed to come to a stop as he held Snorlax back and was slowly beginning to overpower him. He opened his mouth as he prepared to fire Blizzard while Snorlax's arm wound back and his hand was slowly being covered in a light blue aura. Snorlax gave a hard punch as the power of ice coursed through his fist and Snor opened his mouth and released a stream of small balls of ice and frigid wind from his mouth. Both attacks met their mark as Snor stumbled back after the Ice Punch smashed into his face and Snorlax raised his arm in an attempt to shield himself from the icy attack. Ice covered his arm and half of his face as it hit him with full force.

"Snorlax, use Mega Kick!" Ash ordered.

"Dodge and use Giga Impact!" Red barked.

Snorlax managed to break off the ice that formed on his arm as he ran towards Snor who had just finished recovering from the Ice Punch. Snor could see Snorlax charging at him with some impressive speed and got ready to intercept him with Red's command. He started running at Snorlax and his body was then covered with a purple sphere and orange streaks started to twist around it. Snorlax jumped up and aimed his foot for Snor who was now upon him after reaching maximum power for the Giga Impact. Snorlax and Snor collided and a loud boom echoed around the caverns as the attacks met and created a strong outflow of energy, creating a small dust storm in the process. When the dust settled, Snor and Snorlax were both on the ground and trying to push themselves back to their feet.

The two heavy pokémon stood up and glared at each other as they tried to fight off the pain they were feeling from the impact. Red and Ash each had their next moves in mind and wasted no time in giving their order.

"Rest, now!" Red and Ash chorused.

Snorlax and Snor fell to their backs and instantly drifted off to sleep and recover from all the damage they had taken from the attacks.

"Snorlax, use Sleep Talk!" Ash barked.

Snorlax jumped to his feet, eyes still shut as he remained in a deep sleep. He jumped at Snor with his fist glowing white as the Mega Punch was preparing to smash into him. Red still had yet to make a call and finally did so when Snorlax was in range.

"Snor, use Snore now!" Red ordered.

As Snorlax descended upon Snor, he opened his mouth wide. Snor gave a loud guttural snore reverberated around the cavern. The force of the attack somehow stopped Snorlax dead in his tracks, leaving Ash stunned beyond belief.

"What?" Ash voiced his cry of surprise, "what just happened?"

The snore blasted Snorlax back and sent him tumbling back across the ground. Snorlax came to a stop in front of Ash and appeared to be in some decent pain from the surprisingly strong attack.

"Sleep Talk isn't the only effective move for a sleeping pokémon, Ash," Red said as he looked at him.

"Apparently not, but that's not going to stop me!" Ash retorted, "Snorlax, Sleep Talk again!"

Snorlax stood up and shook off the after effects from the Snore attack he was hit with earlier. His mouth opened wide and an orange and red ball started to form inside. Red went on alert quickly and knew he needed to move quickly or else Snor would take a lot of damage.

"Snor, use Sleep Talk as well!" Red countered back.

Snor's ears twitched as the command met them and he leapt to his feet and was surrounded in a purple sphere once again with orange streaks following him as he ran at Snorlax. Snorlax finished charging the Hyper Beam and fired it directly at Snor. Snor hit the Hyper Beam head on and a loud thunderous boom echoed around the entire enclosure. The large smoke cloud from the attack collisions made a veil around the arena and blocked all movement. Seconds ticked by until finally Snor burst through the smoke with his Giga Impact still going strong and crashed into Snorlax with devastating force.

Snorlax gave a loud cry of pain and stumbled back before hunching over to recuperate from the shattering attack. Although he had his thick fat as a defense, the attack cut through it like a knife through butter. He swayed for a moment before falling face first to the ground with a loud crash. Red was silent as he watched Snorlax hit the ground, clearly defeated from taking the brunt of the attack. His eyes briefly met Ash's and he looked thunderstruck at the turn of events.

"Do you see what I'm trying to get at here?" Red asked as he crossed his arms.

"Honestly I don't think I do," Ash replied with a shake of his head. "How did your Snorlax take that Hyper Beam attack without suffering damage?"

"Because Snor's defense is still at its fullest potential. Whereas your Snorlax's defense was lowered after I had Snor bite him with Crunch."

"What did Crunch do?"

"That's exactly my point. Ash, every Normal-type trainer that I fought that specialized with them has that move in their arsenal. They aren't known for being fairly strong pokémon, but they are capable of using basic moves like Crunch which has the chance to lower the target's defense if it makes contact with the enemy. By using that strategy it helps them gain the upper hand and use their defense to their advantage. That's exactly what I did with Snor."

Ash's mind was processing every word Red had said and he started to replay the fight in his head from the beginning. He already knew that Snorlax's defense was high and that he could raise it with Harden, but Snorlax failed to use it in time to gain a possible advantage, so his defense did drop before it rose to the next stage. Ash silently cursed at not catching that and was feeling foolish for a careless mistake. Taking a deep breath to calm down and regroup, Ash held up Snorlax's ball and returned him to it with a smile.

"You did great. Take a good rest," Ash said as he tucked the ball away.

Ash looked down at Pikachu who had his paws clenched as he looked up at him with determination. He was no doubt eager to dish out some payback against Snor after he took Snorlax down. Ash smirked at his oldest friend and nodded.

"Get in there and let's show him how it's done, buddy!" Ash said with the utmost confidence.

"Pika!" Pikachu said with a nod as he jumped into the field and sparks emitted from his cheeks.

"So you're going to try getting inside my guard with speed?"

"That's right!"

"Clever idea, but speed will not help you here."

Ash just smirked back at Red and was now fired up for the second round. He was going to do everything he could to prove to Red that his strategy would indeed prevail. Snapping his fingers, he pointed at Snor.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash ordered.

"Snor, use Snore!" Red countered back.

Pikachu took off like a bullet as he bolted for Snor who was still asleep standing up after using Giga Impact. He jumped into the air and dove headfirst for Snor's head where his defense was the weakest. Snor opened his mouth and let loose another loud and powerful snore. The snore was strong enough to stop Pikachu dead in his tracks and sent him high in the air from the sheer force. It was at this time that Snor finally awoke from his deep slumber and was available to carry out any of Red's commands.

"Use Amnesia!" Red commanded.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash shot back.

Snor looked up and Pikachu and tilted his head as he watched him descend while charging up electricity for his attack. While that was happening, his defense was growing as he prepared to endure Pikachu's attack. Pikachu gave a loud cry as a large bolt of lightning shot from his body and collided with Snor, enveloping him in a bright yellow light. Snor's face scrunched up in discomfort, but he shrugged it off and looked at Pikachu with a little irritation, as if the last attack was nothing more than an annoying fly that was circling his head.

Pikachu landed on the ground and looked a little surprised at Snor's resistance to the powerful volts of electricity and was waiting for Ash's next course of action. Ash's eyes narrowed as he tried to deduce what happened and how to counter back. He knew that the last move Red made Snor do raised defensive capabilities tenfold. Now he needed a way to lower it if he wanted to stand a chance to win the round. Clenching his fists, he came up with a new strategy.

_"At this rate, paralysis seems like my best option if I want to take down that Snorlax,"_ Ash thought before making his next decision. "Now, Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu flipped as he continued sailing high in the air from the Snore attack and glared back down at the hefty pokémon. He somersaulted and started diving down towards him and covering himself in a cloak of yellow electricity. He chanted his name as he closed in on Snor and was ready to smash into him with as much force as he could muster. Ash waited with bated breath to see the effect his plan would work. He knew Pikachu's static ability would be the key factor with this and was silently hoping he would get some form of break and it would get passed off to Snor. Pikachu got closer and closer to Snor who still had yet to make a move.

"Come on, come on, come on!" Ash muttered.

"Snor, use Shadow Ball!" Red barked.

Snor's mouth opened and a large purple and black ball formed in it. He fired the ball at Pikachu with such speed that there was no way it could be dodged. Although the attack was going to hit Pikachu, Ash didn't feel concerned with it. He knew Volt Tackle was strong and the energy output from it should be enough to break clean through the Shadow Ball. Ash smirked as Pikachu's attack cut clean through the attack, but quickly frowned when the sudden dispersion made Pikachu flinch in pain as he slammed into Snor. A loud clap of thunder sounded in the chamber as Pikachu hit Snor and flipped from him to land on the ground with ease. His body gave a spasm as the recoil hit him and he bared his teeth as he fought through the discomfort.

Snor looked unaffected from the attack, at least until he hunched over a bit and small electric chains surrounded his body. Ash silently cheered as he saw that since his plan had worked. He should now have the upper hand to slowly chip away at Snor defense with Pikachu's Iron Tail and Quick Attack. His successful plan ushered in a new wave of confidence and he planned on using it to win.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu jumped up at Snor and covered his tail in the shiny metal. Red wasn't going to allow Pikachu to get a jumpstart on Snor and countered back with his own order.

"Dodge and use Body Slam!" Red shouted.

Snor managed to lean back at the last second and narrowly avoided the Iron Tail as it just about hit him under the chin. As Pikachu's eyes went wide briefly from surprise as Snor dodged, he was put on the defensive as he was falling back to the ground. Snor jumped high into the air and was barreling towards Pikachu with his full weight ready to crush him into a pancake. Gravity was bringing Snor down too fast and there was no way Pikachu could dodge in time once he hit the ground.

Mind racing, Ash suddenly remembered what Red told him after their very first battle about Gible's speed and reaction time when it came to midair. He looked at Pikachu and his mind clicked with a fresh idea that would work if he timed it just right. His eyes noticed Pikachu's tail and that was going to be the make or break of this next maneuver.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail on the ground and send yourself back up!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu looked at him as if he had grown a second head, but saw that Ash had a confident look with his decision and he decided to put his faith into his partner's call. As soon as Pikachu was about to touch down, he covered his tail in iron once again and did a somersault. His tail hit the ground and sunk in like a spring and then launched him sky high as he pushed back from it. As he went right back at Snor, Ash gave his next command.

"Now spin!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu started spinning and just like in the past battles with the maneuver, the wind pressure made it better. Snor's descent gave the necessary force required for the spin to work and Pikachu managed to spin around him just in time to dodge. Ash used his chance to get his failed attack in.

"Now use Iron Tail again!" Ash said with a grin.

Pikachu had just gotten behind Snor and covered his tail in iron once more. Using whatever momentum he had, he twisted his lower body and brought his tail down in a heavy swing. A loud thump sounded as the tail crashed on top of Snor dome and gained a surprised cry from the beefy pokémon. Snor hit the ground hard and made the field tremor from the brute force. Pikachu landed right on top of Snor's back and crossed his arms looking smug with his successful evasion.

Red wasn't showing it, but he was very impressed with Ash's mental agility and coming up with a feasible trick to avoid an attack that should not have been evaded from the close proximity. He smirked lightly and crossed his arms as he looked at the scene before him. The match was just getting interesting and he was hoping to see some more of Ash's unpredictability in the match.

"How's that for a dodge?" Ash said with a smirk.

"It was a pretty clever move, Ash. I'll give you that," Red replied as he unfolded his arms.

"Thanks. Now, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash replied.

"Toss Pikachu!" Red countered.

Pikachu gave a loud cry as his body released another large bolt of lightning as he stood atop of Snor's back. The strong bolt of electricity coursed through Snor and made him tense up as he tried to deal with the pain as best he could. Snor grit his teeth as he fought through the intense pain and managed to shift his weight and sent Pikachu into the air.

"Use Shadow Ball!" Red barked.

"Send it back with Iron Tail!" Ash shouted at Pikachu.

Snor fired another large and dark purple ball at Pikachu with impressive speed and Pikachu needed to act fast in order for the attack to work. Pikachu was able to recover and coated his tail in iron again and waited for the Shadow Ball to get within range. The word baseball entered Ash's head as he saw Pikachu swing his tail at the purple ball and send it back at Snor as a last ditch effort to avoid getting hit. He made a mental note to thank Barry later as he took the idea from him and Empoleon with the Steel Wing. The ball hit Snor but dispersed upon contact and it appeared he didn't take any damage.

"That's right, Normal-types aren't affected by Ghost-type attacks," Ash said to himself as he figured out why Snor was unharmed from the rebound attack.

"Good. It seems you have retained some knowledge on Normal-types after all," Red said after hearing Ash's side comment.

"Give me some credit. I may struggle with some things, but I do have basic knowledge on all the types."

Red said nothing as his gaze returned to Pikachu who was now on the ground once again. He had come up with a strategy to seal his victory for the fight and it was time to put the plan into motion.

"Snor, use Earthquake," Red said as he kept his eyes fixated on Pikachu.

Snor squatted down and jumped up before smashing all of his weight into the ground. The ground shook violently as strong tremors coursed through it. The tremors were so strong the Pikachu was rooted to the spot and unable to move at all. Pikachu's legs felt like anchors as he struggled to move out of the path from the incoming attack. The ground started to shoot up as jagged rocks began to burst from the earth below. Multiple cracks and crashes sounded as the ground caved in and burst from the power Snor had utilized. The ground beneath Pikachu exploded up and sent him into the air with a cluster of large rocks.

"Hang in there, Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

"Body Slam!" Red ordered.

Snor leapt into the air after Pikachu and managed to get just above him. Pikachu was still trying to recover from taking major damage from Earthquake. His eyes cracked open and all he saw was a large shadow looming over him as Snor was about to crush him.

"Same thing as before, Pikachu! Use Iron Tail on the ground to dodge!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu attempted to follow through with Ash's request, but this time he was not fast enough. Snor was now on top of thim and had him pinned just below his stomach as they were about to hit the ground. Seeing what was about to happen, Ash was silently praying that Pikachu could endure the Body Slam. A thunderous crash echoed around the field as Snor landed on Pikachu as they hit the ground. The field gave another tremor and caved in a little more after the attack, creating a small dust cloud that obstructed Ash's view.

_"Come on, Pikachu. You're tougher than this. You can get up,"_ Ash thought as he waited for the dust to settle.

The dust lifted off the field after a few seconds and revealed Snor towering over Pikachu who was struggling to stand up in the large crater. Pikachu managed to get to his feet and winced as he glared up and Snor, showing him that his determination to win had not faltered. He panted as he tried to stand upright and he eventually sunk to his knees before falling to the ground in a heap. It was over.

Ash hurried out to the field and scooped Pikachu up in his arms. He was proud of his partner for giving it all he had against such a strong opponent. Red had walked on to the field after returning Snor to his Poké Ball. He crossed his arms as he stared down at Ash with his trademark neutral look. Ash looked back up at Red and stood up, careful not to be quick as to avoid discomfort for Pikachu.

"You won," Ash finally said through the silence.

"I said that I would and that I wanted to prove a point by saying that you struggle against people of my caliber that specialize in Normal-types," Red replied as he scratched his Pikachu's head when it climbed up his side and perched on his shoulder.

"I didn't want to believe it, but you were right. Every time I encountered somebody of your strength that specialized in Normal-types, I would lose. I would just brush it off, but now I see that this is something basic that I can't ignore."

"You got cocky in that battle, Ash. That's another thing that has come back to haunt you a fair amount of times."

Ash opened his mouth to retort but closed it quickly. He was a more confident kid than he was when younger and whenever he felt he was doing well he would get boastful. He could only nod at Red's accusation and walked over to the rocks that they would sit on to do their reflections after their training sessions. The pair of them took their respective seats and Red folded his hands in front of his mouth as he looked at Ash with his red eyes.

"So tell me what you think you saw in that battle on your end," Red requested as he sat upright.

Ash sat there for a moment as he tried to come up with his answer on what he saw. The only thing he could really say was that defense and special defense were the keys to a Normal-type's success. Since that was the only thought that entered Ash's head, he elaborated them to Red who seemed to accept the answers he gave him. Red unfolded his hands and rested them on his knees as he got ready to give Ash his next bit of advice.

"Okay, I believe we've hit the points that we needed to on this lesson," Red began. "Now I want you to do some homework."

"You can't be serious?" Ash replied with a raised brow.

"I'm dead serious. Or is that going to be too hard for you?"

"I just thought that would be a bad idea since I still have to finish the first event of the tournament which requires a lot of focus."

"Suck it up. If you want to be a Pokémon Master, you need to do more than just battle and train your pokémon. You need to know the profession you are going in to and that means picking up a book and studying pokémon as well."

"I'll be honest with you, Red. Personally that seems a bit excessive."

Red just looked at Ash with his red eyes and for a second, Ash was sure he saw flicker of frustration in them. He had never seen Red express any emotion outside of battling and it surprised him a bit. Red just sighed and then lifted his hands in a shrug.

"The choice is yours, Ash. I'm not forcing you to do this and I will not make you do it either," said Red as he stood up. "You are your own person and you will do what you're going to do. All I'm doing is providing you the tools that will set you up for success. How much you want to achieve your goal falls on how much you want to work for it."

Red's words cut through Ash pretty hard. It was as if the words were coming from an older sibling, or even his mother and father. Red was not mad at him in any way, but he was disappointed and for some reason that hurt a lot more than it would have if he was angry. Ash did want to be a Pokémon Master more than anything and the only way that would happen is if he implemented the training methods Red was offering him. He looked at Red who continued to stare at him as if waiting for an answer.

"I understand," said Ash as he stood up.

"We'll see," Red replied. "My biggest tip for you would be to study the Pokédex. It has vast amounts of pages on all the pokémon in the world. Study each pokémon's ability, type and the possible moves they can learn. Learn every pokémon inside out. By doing that you will be one step ahead of everybody else and more prepared for encounters down the road."

"How do you know this will work?"

"Because that's what I did. I prepared myself for the unknown and it was because of that that I had the success I did."

Ash nodded for what seemed to be the hundredth time that night. He had to give Red credit that he was a very persuasive mentor for being able to convince him to go above and beyond the norm. Silence overcame both of them as they stood there. Red was the first to make his departure as he started towards the light.

"Hey, Red," said Ash, making him stop.

"Hm?" Red replied as he looked over his shoulder.

"Thanks. I'll take your advice to heart and make myself stronger!"

Red just looked back at him until a small smirk came across his lips. He turned to his front again and continued walking to the light. Just like their last meetings, Red vanished the second he touched it, leaving Ash and Pikachu alone in the cave. Ash's eyes remained on the light filling the chamber as his mind replayed the battle he had with Red. His mind then drifted off to the words Red left him with after their battle. He knew Red wouldn't have said them if he didn't want him to succeed.

_"I've got a long way to go,"_ Ash thought as he gently scratched Pikachu's head.

* * *

Deep in the wilderness, Derek was doing everything he could to remain hidden. For the past hour he had been breaking contact against Richard Ironfield to prevent himself from being knocked out of the tournament. From what he determined, he made the right call. Their battle had been intense and it was still ongoing as he would create a distraction to run away and attempt to lay low until he was sure it was safe, but Richard had not made it easy and he had been able to track him down each time. Derek's team was on their last legs and he had to make a judgment call that could either make or break his chance at passing the event. His options were to either keep breaking contact and try to get to the train or he could get to a rest area and recover to use it as a safe zone.

Although he knew it was probably against his better judgment, Derek opted to go for his first choice and get to the train as soon as possible. He only had three members on his team at the moment that was still capable of fighting as his other three had been knocked out. He only had Swampert, Infernape and Gengar, but they were all worn out from using their maneuvers to get away from Richard and his team.

"Crap," Derek whispered as he looked at his watch.

His watch read 0100 and the train only made three stops during the day. The first stop was at 0600, the next at 1200 and the last at 1800. He had to get to the center of the event area in five hours if he wanted to pass the event and get out in one piece. Pulling out the map, he pinpointed his location and looked at the terrain on his path to the train station. He planned on using the river as a handrail until he got to the field where the station was, but that still risked him being seen. His best bet was to ride Swampert underwater to maintain a low profile. It would be a slow process, but the upside was that it would hide his scent and it would kill enough time for him to reach the train.

"Okay," Derek muttered as he rolled up his map and pulled out Swampert's ball.

Swampert's ball opened and the large mudfish pokémon appeared before him. He looked exhausted but ready to carry out the next task he was asked.

"Swampert, I need you to stay strong buddy," Derek said as he put his hand on him. "I need you to carry me down the river for twenty miles. We will be going with the current, so that will help. Can you do that?"

Swampert only nodded and Derek smiled at him. He turned around and dove into the water and waited for Derek to jump in. Derek looked around the water's edge and found the plant he was looking for. If used correctly, it could work as a snorkel so he could hide underwater and not have to surface. After checking the plant, he put the corner of it in his mouth and entered the chilly water. Swampert was already under him and waited for him to get a grip before surfacing.

"Swampert, here's the deal. If I pat your head once I want you to surface slowly so I can get some air and check our surroundings. If I tap you with my feet, I want you to dive and stay submerged," Derek explained.

Swampert nodded and slowly submerged when Derek tapped his heels into his sides. Although Derek didn't mind water, he was deathly afraid of large bodies of it and being submerged for long periods of time, having nearly drowned in Hoenn after the boat he was on sunk on its voyage to Mauville City. He could tolerate rivers and lakes, but oceans were another story. Once his head was about to be submerged, Derek took a deep breath to calm himself down and placed the plant in his mouth and exhaled. Swampert sunk low to the point so only the top of Derek's plant would be exposed, yet they wouldn't be visible from the surface. There wouldn't be anything too suspicious of a plant being carried downstream. The current began to carry them down the river and towards their destination.

Moments after Derek had gotten into the water, Richard burst on to the scene with his Drapion and Zebstrika beside him. He looked around with his sharp eyes for any sign of Derek, but found none. He growled angrily as he failed to detect his opponent. He was not pleased that Derek had effectively managed to get away from multiple times and would not fight back like he hoped.

"Come on out, Fiers!" Richard yelled. "Stop this cat and mouse game and be a man!"

When he didn't receive a response, Richard gave a frustrated growl slammed his fist against a nearby tree. He had followed Derek's scent, but it stopped right where they were. His eyes narrowed for a minute as they landed on a small patch of mud near the water's edge. Richard walked over to the mud and kneeled down to see some boot prints that were fresh. His fingers touched it and from his observation, he could tell that they were Derek's. Smirking to himself, he looked at the river and gave a chuckle.

"Clever little sneak," Richard mused. "He used the river to hide his scent to stop me from tracking him. No matter, he could have only gone downstream since going upstream would lead back to where we were."

Richard chuckled at Derek's petty evasive attempt, and returned Drapion to his ball. He mounted Zebstrika and pointed downstream. Getting the message, Zebstrika snorted and started to trot along the river. A feral grin spread across Richard's face as he continued his pursuit of his prey.

"Before this is over, I will take you down, Fiers," Richard muttered.

* * *

**That's the chapter everybody! I hope it was well worth the wait and I personally felt that this chapter was one of my favorite ones to write. Mainly the bit with Ash's wild strategies as well as Red's advice. I felt I did good with making Ash think of tricks on the spur of the moment during his fight well as I'm having him do what I would personally do if I was in a battle like that, so hopefully you are all enjoying some of his tactics. If you noticed, I used Red's Snorlax's nickname to prevent confusion in the fight. Red's Snorlax, "Snor", is the actual nickname from the manga, so there you go. I also hope you enjoyed Red's advice to Ash because I sat there for a while trying to think of how to convey it. Now that I'm back, the normal update schedule should resume, so next week you can expect to see another update. As of now, just look below for story shout outs as well as points. Thanks for being patient guys and I'm happy to be back. Till next time. Later.-CaptainPrice**

**Points:**

**1.) Congrats to jg13145 for guessing correctly on the last chapter's title. You get a digital snickerdoodle as a treat.**

**2.) Pokémon X and Y coming out in October, same as the new anime season. What are your thoughts and who would you consider for your starter? Personally since I like a challenge and just because he looks badass, I'm going with Chespin.**

**3.) I read through the reviews last chapter and a couple reviewers said that "Bullet Barrage" should be the countershield special for Sceptile. I'll leave it open for one more chapter before deciding. Let your voice be heard if you have an idea. Check the last chapter for my choices on it.**

**4.) Last chapter, review Alpha B. A. 7 asked me " I was wondering though which of his Pokémon would you consider his strongest?" (I hope Pikachu is in there.)" So I figured I would humor him and show everyone my beliefs on who is Ash's champion level/strongest Pokémon. 1.) Pikachu (Your starter should 9 times out of 10 be the strongest since they grow alongside the trainer as the first Pokémon. 2.) Charizard, 3.) Sceptile, 4.) Snorlax, 5.) Heracross, 6.) This was a tie between a few (Infernape/Swellow/Torterra). That's my belief, if you have a different feel free to express it.**

**Story Shout outs:**

******"Time of Courage" by FiammaJoule: (Recently updated on 6/10/2013) **

******When there's nowhere left to run, where do you go? When the government is after you and everyone appears to be your enemy, who do you turn to? Not your friends and not your family. After all is said and done, you only have each other and your Pokemon. It's time to step up and steel your courage if you want to survive.**

******"Tony's Journey: Unova Grand Tour!" by Coli Chibi (Published on 7/29/2013 and updated on 7/31/2013)**

******Tony Miller, bug-catcher extraordinaire, is back on the road to becoming the world's greatest Bug Pokemon Master and Champion of Unova. However, with growing feelings for a certain Gym Leader, a deteriorating relationship with his beloved aunt, the revitalized Team Plasma and the bloodthirsty Genesect on the loose, he's going to find it's a long, hard road to be the best!**

**"The Pokemon World League" by The Fan Fiction Writer (Recently updated on 6/24/2013)**

**The elite echelon of the world's trainers gather to determine the very first World Champion. Rated T for safety, expect political undertones and themes. OC's readily accepted.**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20 (Recently updated on 7/3/2013)**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**


	19. Still Swingin'

**Hey everybody, I am back with another installment of Becoming the Master. I would have had this out yesterday, but I had to work the graveyard shift and I wanted to make some final modifications to the chapter. Now that that has been complete, I managed to get it up for your viewing pleasure. I'm sure you'll enjoy this chapter quite a bit because of the humor, but there is action as well. I would also like to take this time to thank you all for the continued support on the story that is now at 288 reviews, almost near 300, so thanks a lot! Same as usual, read the bottom for the end points and OC information as usual. Let's get to the chapter!**

******Warning: Some language is present in this chapter. Nothing too crazy though.**

******Chapter Summary: Ash wakes up to continue his goal of obtaining his last three points in order to finish the first event early. He bumps into Barry and Paul, but a problem with Paul's condition makes Ash and Barry come to a difficult decision that could affect their progress in the event.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Ash's eyes opened as he heard trainers moving around after waking up to get a start on their next day of searching for their points and battling. He gave a groan as his night of sleep didn't feel like much since he came in late and he was not used to having a short amount of sleep. Turning over on his cot he tried to fall back asleep but found it to be a futile effort. He was now awake and there was too much commotion going on for him to have any chance of slumbering.

"Crap," Ash muttered as he sat on the corner of his cot.

Ash rubbed his eyes and glanced at his watch. It was only five in the morning. Shrugging off his disgruntlement, Ash stood up and put on his hat and made his way out of the tent into the chilly morning air. He almost forgot how cold it could get in the early mornings even though it was still summer. He shivered a little bit as he started walking to the medical tent where he left his pokémon the night before to retrieve them from Nurse Joy. His eyes caught sight of multiple trainers heading out into the wilderness and a bunch of them were huddled around the leaderboard. He decided to take a look at the leaderboard after picking up his team and eating a quick breakfast.

Ash entered the tent and walked over to the table as he waited for Nurse Joy to come and assist him. He got his wish and was greeted by Nurse Joy who had a cheery smile on her face.

"Welcome back, Ash! Did you sleep well?" Joy asked.

"I can't complain. Sleep is sleep," Ash replied with a yawn.

"I guess you're right. I'll go get your pokémon."

Ash thanked her and leaned on the table as he waited for Joy to return with Pikachu and the rest of his team. Now that they were all up and recovered, it was time to get a jumpstart on their day. They had to really push it if they wanted to get to the top of the leaderboard and take the lead. He was not going to let any of his rivals beat him. Ash was broken from his thoughts after seeing Joy return to the counter from the corner of his eye. He saw Pikachu looking well rested and ready to go.

"Hey, buddy!" Ash greeted, "you ready to get this show on the road?"

"Pika!" Pikachu replied as he jumped from the counter and onto his shoulder.

"That's what I like to hear!"

Ash hooked the rest of his Poké Balls on his belt, thanked Joy and was about to make his way out of the tent, but he stopped at hearing a familiar voice. Glancing around the tent trying to find it, Ash's eyes finally fell on Paul and Barry near the far end. Curious as to what was going on, Ash made his way over to his friends. As he got closer, he could see a medic was hovering over Paul with a needle and sutures. Paul seemed to be squirming as the medic tried to stitch him up while Barry was looking at the situation with his arms crossed and shaking his head.

"Hey," Ash said as he stopped beside them.

"Hey, Ash! When did you get here?" Barry asked.

"I got here last night after finding my second point."

"Nice. Did you have to battle anybody when you went to get it?"

"I ended up fighting Tori West after getting the point."

That last sentence caught Barry's attention quickly. He had been curious as to how Ash would handle himself if he was to battle Tori at all in the tournament. After fighting her the day before, Barry knew that Tori was no pushover when it came to battling as she put up a pretty good fight.

"Well you're still here, so that's a good thing," Barry noted. "I checked the leaderboard and saw that you were responsible for a knockout. Was she your knockout?"

"Yeah, I took her down," Ash replied with a nod.

Paul had been hearing the entire exchange a smirk came across his face. He looked at his two rivals and crossed his arms.

"Nice job on the knockout. But you won't beat me on that," Paul said with a wince as the needle poked him again.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Ash asked.

"You have one whereas I now have two after I took out the second guy who found me after I got my third point."

"Don't be so sure. I'll come back and beat you."

"I'm looking forward to that. Ouch!"

The medic had pulled the needle a little harder than he meant to and caused the suture to tighten a lot on Paul. Paul glared back at the medic from the unexpected pain and received a curt sorry in return.

"What happened to you?" Ash asked as he pointed to the stitches.

"I ended up battling a guy named Ryuu Sinclair yesterday," Paul replied as he stood up and swayed a little. "He ambushed me and I ended up falling off Arcanine headfirst, splitting my head open."

"Are you feeling better?"

"No, he's not in the best condition," the medic answered as he threw out the needle. "He's got a concussion and should not even consider moving around today."

"How long will he have the concussion?" Barry asked.

"This one should go on for about three to four days if it's the standard."

"I'm not going to let something stupid like this stop me," Paul declared as he tried to walk again.

Paul took one step and fell to his knees and had to be caught by both Barry and Ash. They looked at each other and then down at Paul. Three to four days was going to be too long for Paul to wait to recover as the event was only five days long. Ash and Barry managed to send the message they were both thinking.

"What if he had someone keeping watch over him during the remaining duration of the event?" Barry asked.

"Yeah. The two of us could team up with him and make sure he gets through in one piece," Ash added.

The medic looked down at the three of them and cupped his chin in thought. After a few seconds he shrugged.

"I guess I can let you do that, but here's the deal…" the medic said as he reached into his kit and pulled out a bottle of medication. "If you decide to team up with him to make sure he passes this event now, he is your responsibility. Anything that may happen to him that can cause him harm is all on you. I'm still giving you time to back out of this if you want."

"We know what we're asking for," Barry said with a nod.

"Alright. Then I want you to take these and make sure he takes them when he has to."

The medic handed Barry and Ash the bottle of medication. Both of them saw that it was the famous pain killer, Vicodin. The medic then took out a slip of paper that had the dosage amount on it and handed it to Ash and Barry. After looking it over, the two of them saw that they could not give Paul more than eight tablets a day and would have to give him a dosage of two tablets every four hours or when he felt he needed it.

"I will put my trust into the both of you to look after your friend here," the medic said as he closed the kit.

When Ash and Barry stayed quiet, the medic looked between the two of them.

"You are his friends, right?" The medic asked.

Ash and Barry shared a look before looking back at the medic. It was Barry who answered the medic's question.

"It's like that friend who's the asshole. He's our asshole," Barry replied.

The medic raised an eyebrow at Barry's answer but accepted it nonetheless. As he was about to leave, Ash stopped him quick.

"What's your name?" Ash asked.

"Ezekiel," the medic, now known as Ezekiel answered.

"Thanks for taking care of Paul."

"It's my job, kid. Take care of him now."

"As long as we give him the pain killer he should be fine, right?"

"Yeah. As long as he takes his M&M colored pills he'll feel like a million bucks."

With that being said, Ezekiel bid them farewell and left the tent. Ash and Barry looked down at Paul who was pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to null the pain and dizziness he was experiencing. They each wrapped one of Paul's arms around their shoulders and helped him walk out of the tent, much to his chagrin.

"Let go of me! I'm perfectly fine," Paul stated.

Ash and Barry complied with Paul's wish and let him go. Only to shake their heads as he took one step and fell face first to the ground. Ash kneeled down by Paul and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, you need help," Ash said as he and Barry eased him up.

"Ash, I don't need your help. I'm capable of handling myself," Paul replied.

"According to Ezekiel, you are far from that. Besides, we took responsibility over you to make sure nothing else happens to you. You're with us whether you like it or not," Barry said as he crossed his arms.

"Crap."

They lifted Paul up and walked over to the leaderboard to take a look at it. The three of them looked at the board to see the latest update. The first thing that they noticed was that Tobias, Specter and Derek all had their points and were no doubt heading to the train tracks at the center of the grounds to get back to the staging area. Just like yesterday, Tobias and Specter had only one pokémon taken out while Derek was now down to two.

"Wow, you might actually be right with that bet we made," Barry said to Ash.

"What bet was this?" Paul asked.

"I bet Barry that Derek would be the first one to the train," Ash replied.

"Yeah, if he makes it. It looks like he's on his last legs."

"No. He'll make it."

Taking another look at the board, Ash checked up on his other rivals. Paul was now in second with three points. Ash was still tied at third with Barry, Yue Wang and Jayleen Okido who all had two points. In fourth were Tony and Lily who were still tied with Danny McBride and Claire Atwood. Overall it was the same as last night before Ash went to sleep, aside the fact of Paul's change in the rankings.

"We've got some catching up to do," Ash said to Barry.

"No kidding. We have to find our remaining points, pronto!" Barry replied.

Ash and Barry pulled out their slips of paper that contained their symbol punches. To their luck, both of them succeeded in obtaining the same two points being earth and air. They reached inside Paul's bag and pulled out his paper to see the symbols he had. Granted he had one more than they did, he had the earth and air symbol as well. The third symbol he had managed to collect last night before coming to the rest area was the water symbol.

"Well that takes care of my question," Ash said as he tucked Paul's paper back in his bag.

"Okay, so how do you want to break this down?" Barry asked. "All of us have the same symbols."

Ash crossed his arms as he tried to think of an answer. He had no idea what their next course of action should be and it was starting to irritate him. He was about to say that he wasn't sure, but stopped when Pikachu poked his head. Turning to his partner, he saw Pikachu pointing at his bag where he had the map tucked in. Getting the gist of what Pikachu was saying, he pulled the map from his bag and unrolled it. As he observed the map he could see where he already went as he crossed out the points he plotted with an X.

Barry went to Ash's side to see his map and where he had his points plotted. He immediately located the rest area they were at and pointed to it on the map. From their current location they had two options. The first option was to go to the bog and get the point Paul got last night so they could be all caught up, or they could come back for it later and go for the space and time symbol to the north.

"What do you think?" Ash asked.

"I say we go for the point in the bog. Paul already has it so he doesn't need it, but this will allow us to catch up and prevent having to split up later down the road," Barry replied.

Ash allowed Barry's words to float around his head as he thought about it. The point was only ten kilometers away which would be an easy run for them. If they were to come back for the point later, it would mean they would have to drop Paul off at the rest area or take him to the train and go back for the point. Seeing no other feasible option, Ash agreed with Barry and pulled out his compass and protractor. He shot the azimuth to the bog and started to locate it with his compass. Locating the azimuth, he pointed out at 245 degrees.

"We need to go that way, so let's get moving," Ash said as he tucked his compass away.

"Alright, but we've got a problem," Barry said as he jerked his thumb at Paul. "Who's going to carry him? There's no way we can let him ride his Arcanine with that concussion."

"I'll be fine, Barry. Just give me the first dose of Vicodin right now to get rid of the pain and I will be good to go," Paul said as he glanced up at him.

"But you can't…"

"Give him the Vicodin, Barry," Ash said as he handed him the bottle.

Barry didn't look too thrilled about the plan, but was not going to argue with his colleagues. He opened the bottle and two white pills fell into his hand. He handed the pills to Paul who gulped them down with a drink of water. They sat there for about five minutes to allow Paul some time to gather his bearings. Finally, Paul stood up and pulled out Arcanine's ball and had a smirk on his face.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go," Paul said as he released Arcanine.

"Now you're speaking my language!" Barry said with a grin.

Ash and Barry pulled out their Poké Balls and threw them into the air. Tauros materialized in front of Ash while Rapidash appeared in front of Barry. Both of them mounted their pokémon and Ash pulled out his compass again to do a final check on his azimuth. Once he lined it up, he motioned for Barry and Paul to follow him.

"I'll keep track of our position on the map and keep you posted on any possible shortcuts or detours we can take," Barry said as he tucked his map in his belt.

"Let's hope your navigation is good," Paul said.

"I got this far, didn't I?"

Ash tapped his heels into Tauros' side and he started to gallop out of the rest area and down a small dirt trail that led to the southwest. Paul and Barry were on either side of him as they continued down the narrow trail and toward the point. After a mile, they got into a single file line, but kept enough space between them to avoid clustering together. Ash decided to put Barry's land navigation skills to the test. He looked back at Barry with a smirk.

"Alright, Barry, time to impress me!" Ash called out.

"Okay. About 100 meters up there's a little detour. We're going to take a walk in the woods!" Barry answered.

True to his word, there was a dirt path that went to their right. Ash had Tauros turn right and began to gallop down the trail with Barry and Paul close behind. He wasn't sure how deviating from the main trail was a shortcut, but he had trust in Barry's ability and would take his word for it. Chances were that the terrain would either be easier to move through with Paul's condition or it would give them an advantage at some point if they got jumped. No matter the way Ash saw it, everything would fall in place for them. He was teamed up with two friends who were more than capable of handling their own and that took a lot off his mind.

* * *

Tony Miller was a boy that loved Bug-pokémon with a fiery passion. His first pokémon when he started his journey from his hometown of Pallet was a Caterpie. It was a very tough road when he started off filled with nothing but constantly getting back up after failing and continuing on his dream of being a champion with only a Bug-type team. As the years went by, he and his team grew stronger and stronger to the point of being able to counter a vast assortment of types, even those that had the advantage over him. Through all of his training and bonding with his pokémon, it gave him an unending amount of determination and courage that he carried with him everywhere he went.

Since he arrived at the tournament, Tony had been eager to show all of his rivals just how devastating a Bug-team could be when in the hands of a competent trainer that knew the type inside out like he did. When the first event started yesterday, Tony had a few encounters alongside finding his first point and was able to hold his ground. He was excited that he was facing strong trainers to test his capabilities, but he was a little anxious with amount of power some of the trainers had. The day proved to be challenging as he only managed to receive one symbol and spent the rest of it fighting other trainers. He successfully fought off all of his opponents, but it took a toll on him and he was down three pokémon before he turned in for the night to regroup.

Now he was currently facing a very similar situation. He had woken up early after getting an early night's rest in hopes to get a point or two before others would find him again. Tony had just punching his paper with the symbol of fire that he had alongside with the symbol of earth. As soon as he did that, he came face to face with another trainer that was a lot taller than him.

The trainer introduced himself as Harrison Ryder. He stood at six foot two, had some lean muscle to accompany his body, black hair that stuck up and light green eyes. He had proven to be a very tough opponent, but that didn't stop Tony from dishing out his own power to show his strength. Their fight had gone back and forth and was currently anyone's game. Tony lucked out when he encountered Harrison as the tall male already had the misfortune of battling a few other trainers and was down two members of his team when he started the battle. Even though he was down two pokémon, he was able to take out four of Tony's and just finished taking out his fifth one.

Tony was in trouble, but he saved his ace in the hole for the last battle. His hand closed around the Poké Ball he was holding as he gave a heated glare to Harrison and his last standing pokémon, Infernape. Harrison claimed that his Infernape was one of his strongest pokémon that helped secure his victory as the Sinnoh League winner a few years ago. Shaking his head free from the thought, Tony wound back his arm and sent his ball into the field. It opened with a crack and a Butterfree was revealed once the glow vanished.

Tony snatched the ball back as it came back to him and was now filled with fresh vigor. There was no way he was going to lose here in the first event. He still had to battle Ash and his other rivals before he could even think of that. His eyes met with Harrison's and narrowed in concentration as he played out his strategy.

"I have to hand it to you, Tony. I honestly doubted your strength when I saw your team through our battle here," Harrison said.

"Why's that?" Tony asked, already knowing the answer.

"I mean no disrespect, but Bug-type pokémon aren't known for being tough pokémon. Yet your entire team has been nothing but Bug-types."

"So you're saying that I shouldn't be able to be doing this well with my team?"

"I wouldn't phrase it like that."

"Really? Because that's what it sounds like!"

Harrison shook his head. He hadn't meant it like that. In truth he was very impressed with Tony's skill and knowledge of the type to have been as successful as he had through their fight. Never in his life had he fought a Bug-type trainer and been pushed this far. He was giving Tony complete props for a job well done.

"Let's wrap this up! I still have to face my friends in the tournament and I can't do that if you beat me here," Tony said with a smirk.

"Show me what you've got, Tony!" Harrison replied.

"Alright! Let's do it!"

Harrison pointed at Butterfree and Infernape started to run at Butterfree and tossed his fiery mane around and coated himself in searing blue flames. Tony had anticipated that move and was ready with his own counter. Throughout the fight, Tony managed to break down Harrison's battling style and had spent a good amount of time trying to find a way to counter it. Harrison was the type of trainer that was strategic, but not strategic at the same time. His battling style appeared to be a hit and run method that would then turn into a relentless assault. He also neglected using any moves that could increase the stats of his pokémon. Tony was planning to beat Harrison using a well-rounded strategy that he perfected with his Butterfree.

"Butterfree, dodge it and use Sleep Powder!" Tony ordered.

Butterfree flapped her wings and swiftly dodged Infernape as he closed the gap. Infernape crashed into the ground with a loud bang and the fire that covered him dispersed. A thick cloud of smoke covered the area where Infernape made his hard landing. The smoke cleared a few seconds later and Infernape was kneeling as he dealt with the recoil from sing Flare Blitz. Butterfree started to follow up with the second half of Tony's command and started diving towards Infernape with a light blue powder trailing behind her.

"Infernape, dodge and use Brick Break!" Harrison hollered.

"Butterfree, watch out!" Tony shouted.

Infernape sprung into the air and brought his arm back and prepared to deliver the powerful chop to Butterfree. Butterfree flapped her wings quickly and came to a grinding halt and swerved just in time to avoid the direct hit. The chop landed on Butterfree's wing and sent her spiraling to the ground as the force was enough to make her lose strength to hover. Tony clenched his fists at failing to accomplish his desired task.

"We'll get it this time! Here we go!" Tony told himself.

Butterfree managed to right herself and beat her wings just when she was a few feet from the ground. She regained control of her hovering and took to the air once again and turned back to face Infernape once again.

"Infernape, use Aerial Ace!" Harrison barked.

Infernape jumped into the air and shot at Butterfree like a bullet. White streaks started to surround his body as he continued at Butterfree with high speeds. This caught Tony off guard a little bit since he was not expecting Infernape to use a move like that. Although he was surprised, Tony recovered quickly and decided to pull out his own trump card.

"Butterfree, use Psychic!" Tony yelled.

Butterfree's eyes started to glow a light red as they locked on to Infernape. Almost instantly, Infernape was stopped cold in his tracks from the telekinetic force. The attack didn't stop there as Butterfree flapped her wings to the right and then the left. Infernape was slammed into one tree and then another before finally being thrown back and into another tree. The tree gave a shudder as Infernape crashed into it and slid to the forest floor in a daze. Using the chance he had, Tony continued his attack.

"Now use Sleep Powder while he's down!" Tony shouted.

Butterfree swooped in and flapped her wings and a light blue powder sparkled from them as she soared over Infernape. This time her aim was true. Infernape's eyes started to droop before finally closing shut. Infernape was now asleep standing up and wide open for punishment. Tony grinned and pointed at Infernape as he got ready to end the battle.

"Use Dream Eater, now!" Tony yelled.

Butterfree's eyes flashed red for a brief moment and then a transparent clone of itself appeared. The clone made a bolt for Infernape and phased through him. Infernape rigid and fell to the forest floor, stiff as a board. The clone vanished and the wounds that Butterfree had sustained were now gone and she looked ready for more. When Infernape failed to get up, Harrison raised the ball he was holding and returned him to it. He looked at the ball and smiled as he gave a silent thanks to his friend for a job well done.

"One more win, one step closer!" Tony cheered as Butterfree started flying around him in excitement.

Harrison crossed his arms as he looked at Tony. To say he was impressed was an understatement. He was stunned that Tony was able to beat him, even though the odds were not in his favor. A smile formed on his face as he watched Tony celebrating his well-earned victory like a little kid. He unfolded his arms and walked over to Tony who was hugging his Butterfree and giving her praise.

"Well played, Tony," Harrison said as he held up his hand.

"Thanks! You did your best and I respect that! You gave me a battle I had to really work for to win and I can't thank you enough for that," Tony replied.

"You are a very talented trainer, Tony. I've never fought a Bug-type trainer as strong as you. You have a talent for training them. That's for sure."

Tony grinned and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He was enjoying the compliment sandwich that Harrison was giving him. He shook Harrison's hand and thanked him once again for the good battle.

"Tony, what did you say your dream was?" Harrison asked.

"I want to be the first Pokémon League Champion that specializes in Bug-type pokémon!" Tony replied with pride.

Harrison laughed and patted Tony on the shoulder.

"Well, when we have our rematch at the Pokémon League in the future, you'll have to beat me first," Harrison said.

"I'll be looking forward to it!" Tony said with a grin.

"In all seriousness though, Tony. I believe your dream can be a reality after what you've shown me here today with our battle. You are one tough trainer and I am sure that you can be a champion that specializes in Bug-types one day."

"Thanks, Harrison. I'll definitely be looking forward to a rematch someday."

"Same here. Good luck with the rest of the tournament."

Harrison waved goodbye as he started to make his way into the foggy woods. Tony continued to watch his retreating figure until her was swallowed by the fog and vanished. He turned and smiled at Butterfree and gave her a gentle pat. An automated voice sounded through the clearing.

**"Trainer Harrison Ryder has been eliminated from the event and tournament. The victor is Tony Miller,"** the voice said.

Tony was now feeling very elated at his very progressive morning. He woke up early to get a head start and managed to retrieve his second point. He then fought a strong trainer and managed to win and get a knockout point to his status as well. The downside was that he had to use his recovery point for the day to revive his team. He accepted the challenge and started to make his way to the next rest area with Butterfree hovering overhead.

* * *

Ash, Paul and Barry were getting closer to the bog where Ash and Barry intended to get their third point to be tied with Paul. The shortcut that Barry had pointed on the map that they took ended up taking them through a few open fields and eventually downhill towards the bog which was now in sight from their position on the hill. They had about three miles to go before they entered the bog and would have to search for the point on foot. Paul told Ash and Barry that he could provide defense as they searched for the point.

"How far is the point inside the bog?" Ash asked as he tucked the map away.

"I think it was around half a mile," Paul replied as he turned to look at him.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Positive."

Ash accepted the answer and turned back to look at Barry who was taking a drink of water from his canteen. Barry had Rapidash trot up to them and stood beside Paul.

"How are you feeling, Paul?" Barry asked.

"I'm feeling fine. This Vicodin is some good stuff," Paul replied with a light chuckle.

"Okay. Let us know if you need to stop for a second or if you start feeling the pain again."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Nurse Anderson."

"Nurse? You mean doctor!"

"No. You're a nurse."

"Focus!" Ash said.

Paul and Barry dropped their conversation and continued to follow Ash downhill to the bog. As they galloped to the marsh, they were unaware of the mess they were about to get into.

* * *

The three of them came to the marsh's entrance and dismounted their pokémon. After returning their pokémon to their balls, Paul took point and beckoned Barry and Ash to follow him to the point. Paul jumped into the waist deep water and muck and started to fight his way through. Ash and Barry jumped in after him and gagged at the foul stench as it met their nostrils. The sooner they got the point the better they would be. The stench was so bad that even Pikachu was covering his mouth and nose as he rode on Ash's shoulders.

"Aw man, it stinks in here!" Barry noted as he tugged his foot free from the murky depths.

"Suck it up you big baby," said Paul as he glanced back at him. "The point isn't too far away."

"Well let's hurry up and get out of here!"

Paul continued to lead Ash and Barry to the point, all the while keeping his senses sharp for any possible trainers in the area. This was not the ideal place to have a battle given the poor field conditions. He stopped and made Ash and Barry look at him expectantly.

"Are we here? Where's the point?" Ash asked.

"I met my pace count, so it should be around here," Paul answered as he turned around. "Let's split up and do a quick search of the area. If you find the point, start calling for us."

"Sounds like a plan," Barry replied.

With that being said, Ash and Pikachu went to the left. Barry went to the right, muttering angry things about the marsh under his breath and Paul went straight forward. Ash felt a little uncomfortable leaving Paul alone, but he had confidence in his friend that he would be able to withstand anything that would be thrown at him.

"I mean look at the guy. A level three concussion and he's out here walking it off like a champ. He'll be fine," Ash muttered.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded in agreement.

Ash stopped and squinted to try and find the point. He turned his head and he caught a glimpse of an orange shimmer from the sun. Looking closer, he could see a post under it and grinned. He found the point. Ash started moving as fast as he could towards the point. Picking his knees up high and running as hard as he could to the point. Ash's feet finally met ground and he stumbled as he slipped on it. He reached into his bag and pulled out his paper for the required punches. His fingers gripped the clacker and he punched the symbol on his strip.

"That's three, Pikachu. We're almost done, buddy!" Ash said as he high fived his partner.

Remembering Paul's instructions, Ash tucked his paper away and cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Paul! Barry! I found it!" Ash hollered.

He let his hands fall to his side and searched around the bog for any sign of his friends. A minute ticked by and neither of them showed up. Ash was starting to get a little concerned and tried calling them again.

"Paul! Barry! I found the point! Where are you?" Ash yelled.

Ash looked around the area again but still found no sign of his teammates. Since Paul never gave any further instructions on what they should do if they got separated, Ash decided to stay put and wait for them. They would eventually find him, but how soon they would was what concerned him.

_"Where are they?"_ Ash wondered.

Splashes met his ear and he quickly turned his attention to the sound. His fingers gently touched the Poké Ball on his waist that held Buizel as he got ready to go on the offensive. Pikachu left his perch on his shoulder and faced the noise as sparks emitted from his cheeks in a threatening manner.

"What's out there?" Ash asked Pikachu.

"Pika," Pikachu replied in a low voice.

The splashes came closer and closer until finally the source of the noise was revealed. It was Barry and Paul. Ash and Pikachu relaxed at seeing their teammates appear instead of some random trainer. Barry hurried over to the post and pulled out his paper and punched the symbol on it.

"Alright! That's three! Two more to go!" Barry cheered.

"Barry, be quiet!" Paul snapped as he pulled out a Poké Ball, "there's someone else here."

Barry closed his mouth as he mimicked Ash and Paul's actions and pulled out one of his Poké Balls as well. The three of them got back to back as they surveyed the area. They couldn't hear any splashes to indicate someone moving towards them. That meant they were either in the trees or standing still in the marsh.

"You can come out now," Paul said as he glared through the fog.

Multiple splashes met their ears as Ash, Paul and Barry continued looking in the direction of the noise. A lone figure appeared from the fog and onto the landing. Upon closer inspection, Ash's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the person before him. He heard the trainer conversing with Maaya yesterday after he broke contact from her to get out of the field. Kirin Ryuuzetsu.

"What do you want?" Paul sneered.

"Man, what is it with rude trainers around here?" Kirin asked. "First that Maaya girl and now you."

"I wouldn't say I'm rude. I'm just a little grumpy and trying to fight back a concussion."

"Whatever. Now which of you three will battle me?"

Ash, Barry and Paul exchanged looks and tried a different method.

"There's three of us and one of you. Are you really that eager to get taken down?" Barry replied.

Kirin looked at Barry and smirked. That smirk alone told him that they were in trouble.

"Who said I was alone?" Kirin asked.

The second that sentence left Kirin's lips, a couple more splashes were heard as they surrounded the landing. Ash, Paul and Barry all looked around the landing and saw there were at least two others with Kirin. One was pretty tall and had a lean slender build and a head of long messy red hair that framed his face and amber eyes. The other trainer was just a tad shorter than the red head. He had visible muscles, a bald, fade style haircut, and there was a phoenix firebird tattooed on his neck.

"Who are you?" Paul asked the two newcomers.

The red head spoke first.

"I'm Matt Ebornheart," the red head greeted.

"Jason Phoenix," said the boy with the tattoo.

The three trainers each pulled out a Poké Ball as they looked at their chosen opponents. Ash, Barry and Paul exchanged looks and stared back at their new obstacle. They were cornered.

"What's the plan?" Barry whispered to Ash and Paul.

"We fight our way out. That's the plan," Ash said as he released Buizel's ball. "Let's go!"

* * *

**And that's the chapter! Talk about trouble with a capital T for Ash, Barry and Paul. What'll happen? You'll have to wait and see next chapter. I hope you all got a good laugh at Paul's expense and his OOCness with his sense of humor after taking the Vicodin. I never gave an estimate as to how long this arc will be, but I would imagine that I could drag this on for maybe another 5-9 chapters before I end it, we'll see. Personally I enjoyed writing Tony's scene the most because I find Tony to be one of the most interesting Pokémon OCs I came across. Props to Coli Chibi for making a unique character. Now I will be busy this week with personal matters and Saturday I plan on going deaf since I'm going to the biggest rock concert in my area, so don't expect an update this week. Anyway, that's all I had for you. Take a look at the points at the bottom here along with the story shout outs. Later.-CaptainPrice**

**OCs Introduced:**

**Harrison Ryder: (Dragonheart1234) Defeated by Tony Miller**

**Matthew Ebornheart: (Renjiyamato)**

**Returning OCs:**

**Tony Miller: (Coli Chibi)**

**Kirin Ryuuzetsu: (Disturbed12)(Arc Character)**

**Jason Phoenix: (Trentavious Phoenix)(Last appearance chapter 9)**

**Points:**

**1.) I have decided that Bullet Barrage will be Sceptile's counter shield. So look forward to seeing that in action down the road.**

**2.) I was asked this by Alpha B. A. 7 on who I believed were Ash's strongest Pokémon/champion level. I have my personal list on who I think they are here, but I'm curious if some of you think differently on who his strongest are. 1.) Pikachu (Your starter should 9 times out of 10 be the strongest since they grow alongside the trainer as the first Pokémon. 2.) Charizard, 3.) Sceptile, 4.) Snorlax, 5.) Heracross, 6.) This was a tie between a few (Infernape/Swellow/Torterra). I would have Gible on there, but the truth is that unless he becomes a Garchomp, I wouldn't consider him one of his strongest.**

**3.) To Meteorthunder3. Yes, when I say training I mean military training. That's why I was off grid all month since I was training and doing a bunch of other crazy stuff. **

**4.) If you all like this Pokémon story of mine here, I would suggest you check out some of my other ones. I know not all of you may find them to be your taste, but just something else new to check out if you've only been reading this story here.**

**Story Shout Outs:**

******"Tony's Journey: Unova Grand Tour!" by Coli Chibi (Published on 7/29/2013 and updated on 8/10/2013)**

******Tony Miller, bug-catcher extraordinaire, is back on the road to becoming the world's greatest Bug Pokémon Master and Champion of Unova. However, with growing feelings for a certain Gym Leader, a deteriorating relationship with his beloved aunt, the revitalized Team Plasma and the bloodthirsty Genesect on the loose, he's going to find it's a long, hard road to be the best!**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20 (Recently updated on 7/3/2013)**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**

**"The Pokemon World League" by The Fan Fiction Writer (Recently updated on 6/24/2013)**

**The elite echelon of the world's trainers gather to determine the very first World Champion. Rated T for safety, expect political undertones and themes. OC's readily accepted.**


	20. Mama Said Knock You Out

**Hey all, I'm here with another update and it's filled with action! I've been thinking on how to write this since I went to Band Camp last Saturday to see Sevendust (Freaking sweet! Got them all to sign my shirt), Eye Empire, Pop Evil, Dope, etc. First of all, I would like to thank you all for the continued support as this is now my second story I have on the site here that broke 300 reviews so thanks a lot. Stay tuned for the end author's note at the bottom. Now let's get to the chapter!**

**Chapter Summary: Ash, Paul and Barry square off against Kirin, Jason and Matt. Paul comes up with a contingency plan to benefit them as a group in order to minimize collateral damage so they can move on and collect their points.**

**Bold- PA system/Message Bulletins**

_**Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Pokedex descriptions**_

_Italics-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/Telepathic Link_

* * *

Ash, Barry and Paul all released the Poké Balls they were holding and prepared to defend themselves against the three man team of Jason Phoenix, Kirin Ryuuzetsu and Matt Ebornheart. Buizel, Hitmonlee and Electivire appeared before Ash, Paul and Barry, while Lucario, Garchomp and a Conkeldurr in front of Matt, Kirin and Jason respectively. Paul had been quiet as he observed the terrain around them and thought about the amount of attention they would draw if they stayed still.

"Ash, Barry, listen up for a second," Paul whispered.

"What's wrong?" Ash replied.

"We need to split these losers up. If we all stay here and battle, the terrain will be too close together and it risks friendly fire along with drawing unwanted attention to ourselves."

"Shouldn't we stay together? That way we have a better chance of getting out of this," Barry asked.

"No. We have to separate if we want to get out of here in one piece," Paul answered.

"So where will we meet up once we're done with this?" Ash asked.

"We'll rendezvous outside the marsh where we entered."

"Sounds good to me."

"So who's taking who?" Barry asked as he glanced at Ash and Paul.

"I'll take care of Jason," Paul replied.

"I'll battle Kirin," Ash said as he locked eyes with Kirin.

"I guess that leaves me with Matt," Barry finished.

Barry and Hitmonlee got in front of Matt and his Lucario while Paul and Electivire got in front of Jason and his Conkeldurr. Ash and Buizel glared at Kirin and Garchomp as they prepared for battle.

* * *

"Let's go, Buizel!" Ash shouted as he pointed at Garchomp, "Kick it off with Water Gun!"

Buizel's mouth opened wide and a large jet of water burst from it. The spinning column of water shot at Garchomp like a bullet and quickly put him and Kirin on the defensive.

"Garchomp, use Protect!" Kirin countered.

Garchomp raised his arms and a large green dome surrounded him just as the Water Gun was about to hit. The jet of water smashed into the dome and dispersed before splashing into the marsh. Garchomp smirked at the futile attempt and taunted Buizel by beckoning him with his claw.

"My turn," Kirin said with a smirk. "Garchomp, use Earthquake!"

Garchomp raised one of his legs and smashed his foot into the muddy ground. The attack itself made the ground tremor violently and made Buizel freeze as the tremors shocked him. Buizel shook off the shock just in time to avoid the burst of earth that shot up before him. He managed to jump away from the attack, but found himself dodging another burst of earth as it shot up from under him. His reflexes saved him from the full hit but his face scrunched in pain as his knee gave a violent twinge after pushing off the ground when it came up from under him. He landed on the ground and lost his footing in the mud and slipped. Buizel fell to his side and the gave the opening that Kirin needed to send his next attack.

"Use Giga Impact, now!" Kirin yelled.

Garchomp sprung from the ground and soared at Buizel as his body was covered in a purple sphere with orange streaks surrounding him. Buizel saw the attack coming and quickly got to his feet. Ash quickly gave his next order to prevent Garchomp from hitting Buizel with full force.

"Use Aqua Jet!" Ash barked.

Buizel jumped in the air with a smirk spreading across his face. A thick veil of water surrounded his body and before he soared headfirst at Garchomp. The two charging attacks met head on and collided with each other. There was a loud boom as a thick cloud of smoke filled the area. Buizel gave a cry as he was sent flying out of the smoke and into the murky water twenty yards away. Ash growled at his failed attempt to minimize the attack's output. He glanced back at Garchomp and saw that he was still standing tall with a cocky look.

"Dang it," Ash muttered.

"Is that all you've got, Ketchum?" Kirin asked. "I expected more from you."

"Don't be so sure! We're just getting started!"

"Then pick up the pace."

Ash's eyes reverted back to the area where Buizel landed. He saw his partner surface from the murky depths covered in mud and algae. As he looked at Buizel, the wheels in his head started to turn. Buizel was currently sitting in a shallow area of water and being a Water-type pokémon, he could use it to his will without utilizing as much energy.

_"Fighting in close combat is stupid. Buizel can't stand up to a pokémon of Garchomp's caliber in that setting,"_ Ash thought. _"The only way I'd be able to do anything is if I…"_

And then it hit him like a slap to the face. A confident grin spread across his lips as he came up with his plan. This fight was just about to get interesting. Turning to Buizel he gave him a nod.

"Buizel, use Water Pulse!" Ash hollered.

Buizel nodded back and raised his hands from the marsh. A dirty ball of water started to form between his paws until it grew to the size of his head. He then shot out of the water and did a flip, all the while releasing the muddy ball of water. As the ball descended to the ground, Kirin was already getting ready to stop the attack.

"Garchomp, use Fire Blast on the Water Pulse!" Kirin shouted.

Garchomp's mouth opened wide and a large sphere of fire started to form inside of it. He closed his mouth and his eyes locked on the ball of water as he tried to time his release. Finding his mark, Garchomp's mouth opened again and he released the large and sweltering fire attack. The blast of fire took the shape of a giant star as it went to flew at the Water Pulse. Despite Garchomp's attempt, he failed to meet his mark as the Fire Blast just missed the Water Pulse by mere inches. The Fire Blast continued toward Buizel who dove underwater to avoid the searing attack. The fire hit the water and a loud hiss filled the area as it connected and created a veil of steam.

Buizel's Water Pulse hit the ground and splashed upward as it turned into a giant wave. The wave of water went straight for Garchomp who had no way to dodge the incoming attack.

"Garchomp, break through with Dragon Rush!" Kirin ordered.

Garchomp's body was outlined in a light blue aura as the wave was almost upon him. He then jumped forward and burst through the dirty wave with ease. However, he was covered in a lot of mud and seaweed.

"Sonic Boom, let's go!" Ash shouted.

Buizel jumped from the water off to Garchomp's side. He gave a cry as he swung his tail at Garchomp and released a large shockwave. The shockwave soared at Garchomp who turned his head just to see Buizel dive back into the water. Garchomp's eyes widened in surprise as the shockwave hit him on the side of his head and made him stumble and hunch forward. He brought his claws up to his head to quell the ringing in his ears and attempt to recollect his bearing.

"Aqua Jet, now!" Ash barked.

The water gave a ripple off in the distance before a fast tide bolted towards the shore. By this time, Garchomp managed to right himself and was facing the water, prepared to intercept Buizel the second he surfaced. Buizel burst from the water and shot at Garchomp like a bullet, his body surrounded by a thick cloak of water.

"Garchomp, get ready to counter!" Kirin warned.

Buizel slammed headfirst into Garchomp's chest and knocked the wind out of him. Garchomp hunched over as he dealt with the pain from the blow. Buizel managed to get enough force to rebound off of Garchomp's chest, but that turned out to be a mistake.

"Garchomp, fight through it and use Dragon Tail!" Kirin yelled.

Garchomp's eyes narrowed in concentration as he located Buizel who was still airborne after rebounding off of his chest. Locking on to Buizel, Garchomp diverted power to his tail and it started to glow a light blue as the strength inside of it grew to new heights. He finally turned and gave a vicious swing at Buizel and his aim was true. There was a loud thump and a crack as Garchomp's tail smashed into Buizel's back. Buizel's eyes went wide and his mouth opened in a silent scream before he was launched back towards the water. He broke through a bush and skipped across the marsh like a stone before being submerged in the mire.

"You're going to have to do better than that, Ketchum!" Kirin taunted. "Where is the skill you used back at Sinnoh?"

"Don't be so quick to judge! I'm going to win this battle!" Ash retorted.

* * *

Paul and Electivire had successfully managed to lure Trent and his Conkeldurr away from Ash and Barry's battles to prevent any risk. His head was starting to throb with pain again as the Vicodin was starting to wear off. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he felt around his pocket for the small bottle that contained the pills, only to pat nothing. His hands searched his pockets, but they came up empty. He growled and mentally kicked himself for letting Barry hang on to the medication.

"Smooth one, genius," Paul muttered to himself. "Real freaking smooth."

"Are you going to keep running or are you going to man up and fight?" Jason asked as he crossed his arms.

Paul sent a glare back at Jason who returned it with a look of his own. He sent a glance at Electivire who was standing in the knee deep water and facing Conkeldurr.

"I'm not running," Paul said with a smirk. "Now, show me what you can do."

"With pleasure," Jason replied. "Conkeldurr, use Mach Punch!"

Conkeldurr dashed at Electivire with his fist drawn back and his beam tucked to the side. He was just upon Electivire when Paul made his counter.

"Protect," Paul said, shaking his head at the pitiful attempt.

Electivire raised both of his arms with his palms facing towards Conkeldurr. A large green dome surrounded Electivire to serve as a protective shield. Conkeldurr's fist smashed into the dome and bounced off, knocking him off balance. Paul, being the experience battler that he was, quickly followed up with his next move.

"Use Thunder Punch!" Paul ordered.

Electivire brought his arm back and it started to glow white, all the while crackling with electricity. The glow vanished and a bunch of electricity was visible and circling around his arm. He lunged at Conkeldurr who brought his stone beams up to block the attack, but Electivire proved to be faster. Electivire's fist managed to get by the beam and connected with Conkeldurr's face. There was a loud clap of thunder as the punch hit that echoed around the marsh. Conkeldurr was sent back but he stabbed his beam into the ground to maintain his balance and recover quickly.

"Not bad," Jason commented. "But I'm just getting warmed up."

"Good. I don't like wasting my time with weak trainers," Paul replied.

"Conkeldurr, Bulk Up, go!"

"Electivire, use Thunder on the water!"

Conkeldurr stabbed his stone beams into the ground and began to loosen himself up and flex. As Conkeldurr was building his strength, Electivire's tails dove straight into the water and started to crackle with electricity that was begging to be released. Electivire gave a loud cry as he released the power that was coursing inside his tails. The water began to glow a dark yellow as the electricity gathered inside of it and began shooting for Conkeldurr.

"Jump on your beams!" Jason hollered.

Conkeldurr stopped mid flex and quickly hopped on top of his nearest stone beam. He swayed as he tried to keep his balance, but successfully stuck his landing. The electricity shot around the spot Conkeldurr was standing earlier and then up the stone beams. Conkeldurr went rigid as the electricity flowed through his body, but it was weakened from the stones absorbing the majority of it.

"Stone Edge!" Jason barked.

"Shield yourself with Thunder!" Paul countered.

Conkeldurr crossed his arms and two rings appeared around his body made of razor sharp stones. They spun around Conkeldurr until he opened his eyes and threw his arms in the direction of Electivire. The barrage of sharp stones flew at Electivire who was already getting ready to shield himself with the Thunder. Electivire stabbed his tails into the water while the conductors on his head sparked. The electricity shot from the top of his head into thick bolts and surrounded him.

Some of the stones that Conkeldurr sent for Electivire were met by the electricity and some managed to penetrate the barrier that was erected. The stones that hit the powerful volts disintegrated into dust and the ones that managed to get through crashed hard into Electivire. Electivire's face scrunched up in slight pain and he dropped the electric shield as he dealt with it.

"Drain Punch!" Jason yelled.

"Intercept!" Paul shouted.

Conkeldurr shot at Electivire once again in an attempt to land the Drain Punch, but Paul had suspected another close combat move. He watched with satisfaction as Electivire took a defensive position and had his tails raised above his head to stop the attack. When Conkeldurr was within range, Electivire's tails swung forward and wrapped tightly around Conkeldurr's arm. Electivire gave a heave and hoisted Conkeldurr in the air.

"Use Thunder, now!" Paul yelled.

Electivire glared at Conkeldurr and a wicked grin spread across his face. He channeled the electricity into his tails and released with a loud cry. Conkeldurr roared in pain as the volts shocked him mercilessly. When the attack died down, Conkeldurr went limp in Electivire's grip as it tried to recover from the powerful attack.

"Toss him," Paul sneered.

Electivire brought his tails back and threw Conkeldurr away as hard as he could. Conkeldurr went soaring back towards his beam and crashed into both of them. He rose from the water moments later, trembling from the aftershocks of the attack and surprise. Paul smirked and glanced up at Trent.

"Is that all you got?" Paul asked. "Pathetic."

"What'd you say?" Jason sneered.

"You heard me. I said that this was pathetic."

"You'd better shut-up, because I'm about to show you why you don't mess with someone from the Phoenix family!"

"Are you going to continue running your mouth or are you ready to put up?"

Jason merely growled in anger and clenched his fist as he glared at Paul. Paul was giving him a cold look in return as he waited for him to make his next move. Conkeldurr was now standing upright after recuperating from the Thunder attack. Some electricity appeared around Conkeldurr's body and this made Jason smirk with newfound confidence. Now that Conkeldurr had been affected with a status ailment, it would bring out his Guts ability. Conkeldurr's eyes glowed dark red for a brief moment and he was surrounded by a red aura.

"You asked for it, Henderson!" Jason spat. "Conkeldurr, get up and use Stone Edge!"

* * *

Barry had followed Paul's order and he managed to get Matt and his Lucario to pursue him. He had waded through deep water and continued until he was out of sight and earshot of Ash and Paul. As much as Barry wanted to battle Matt and try and get a knockout, he found it to be too risky. He was in an area that was still a target for other trainers and he had no desire to get swamped by any of them and taken out of the tournament.

"I just have to take out one and make a break for it on Rapidash," Barry muttered.

He and Hitmonlee clambered onto the soggy ground and did a quick search for Matt. They didn't see him but they could hear him coming from the splashing water. Barry beckoned Hitmonlee over to the opposite side of the landing and watched as Matt came on shore with his Lucario. Matt had a playful smile on his face.

"Come on, man. I want to have some fun," said Matt.

"I'll pass. I'm in a bit of a rush," Barry replied.

"I see. Then in that case…"

It all happened so fast. Matt looked at Lucario and nodded and the second he did so, she vanished on her first step. She reappeared in front of Hitmonlee and smashed into him with a hard tackle. Barry was caught off guard by the Extremespeed that Lucario used. Hitmonlee was sent to the ground and landed hard on his back.

"Hitmonlee, get up!" Barry urged.

"Will you play my game now?" Matt asked.

"You asked for it! Hitmonlee, use Mega Kick!"

Hitmonlee jumped to his feet and gave a fierce kick towards Lucario's head. Lucario raised her arms and blocked the kick but her eyes narrowed in obvious discomfort.

"Now use Close Combat!" Barry barked.

Hitmonlee's eyes glowed red for a brief moment before he pushed Lucario off. He lunged at Lucario and started sending a barrage of various punches and kicks. Lucario started to evade each of the strikes to the best of her ability after Matt gave her the order to dodge. Punch after punch, kick after kick, Hitmonlee continued his relentless onslaught. He finally managed to land a kick inside Lucario's stomach, halting her movements. The delay was all Hitmonlee needed to wrap up the rest of his attack. He gave a quick uppercut and hit Lucario under the chin and lifted her into the air. Hitmonlee then did a back flip and his foot connected with Lucario's back and sent her airborne. He jumped high into the air and appeared over Lucario and smashed his fist into her stomach.

Lucario gave a pained cry as the force of the hit made the air leave her lungs. She was sent spiraling to the ground and crashed into it with a muffled thud as mud and water splashed up from the bogged down soil. Hitmonlee landed gracefully and fell to his knee to gather his breath.

"Lucario, use Dig!" Matt hollered.

Lucario jumped into the air and then dove out of sight into the muddy ground. Barry was a little confused by Matt's attack and wondered if he accidently called the wrong move.

_"Why would he have Lucario use Dig? The ground is too wet for her to move effectively and she can get stuck,"_ Barry thought.

Hitmonlee was already on full alert and kept his senses sharp as he looked around the area for any sign of movement. The muddy ground should give signs of movement if Lucario was moving towards him unless she dove down really deep. The ground stirred below Hitmonlee and he jumped back to avoid it, but Lucario proved to be quicker. She burst from the ground sending mud and grass everywhere with her fist aimed up. Her punch connected with Hitmonlee's stomach and lifted him into the air.

"Hang in there, Hitmonlee!" Barry cried.

Hitmonlee did a flip and landed away from Lucario and locked eyes with her once again. Lucario was proving to be very tough despite being at a type disadvantage. She was covered from head to foot in mud which would hopefully hamper her movements, but Barry wasn't going to get his hopes up about that.

"Hit it with Blaze Kick!" Barry barked.

"Protect!" Matt countered back.

Hitmonlee spun on his heel and his leg was covered in blistering flames as he sent it for Lucario. Lucario followed up with her master's command and held both of her paws up and a large green dome surrounded her body. HItmonlee's kick hit the dome and bounced off, knocking him off balance.

"Use Aura Sphere!" Matt yelled.

Lucario quickly dropped the barrier and brought her palms close together but had them separated somewhat to generate the attack. A rotating blue ball of energy started to take shape between her palms until it was about the size of a basketball. She thrust her palms out at Hitmonlee and the blue sphere shot at Hitmonlee like a bullet.

Hitmonlee just regained his balance when the Aura Sphere was upon him. The attack hit him square in the back and blasted him off the ground to land at Barry's feet. He was stunned from the hard hit and was struggling to get up.

"Alright, let's power up with Swords Dance," said Matt.

Lucario relaxed her stance and closed her eyes and pressed her paws together. As she meditated to build her power, transparent blades appeared in a cicles around her and started to spin.

"Blaze Kick!" Barry yelled.

Hitmonlee did a quick kip and was back on his feet. He jumped at Lucario with his leg covered in the fierce flames once again. Landing beside Lucario, Hitmonlee jumped up with a spin and his kick connected with the side of her head. Lucario's concentration was broken and her Swords Dance came to a stop. The kick sent her skidding back until she hit the ground hard. She stood up gingerly and trembled as flames suddenly consumed her body, adding the burn effect.

_"Good. That will save me some problems,"_ Barry thought with a smirk.

Matt was fairly impressed with Barry and Hitmonlee's resilience and had to give them credit for lasting as long as they did against his Lucario.

"How do you like that? My Hitmonlee's the strongest one you'll ever see!" Barry boasted proudly.

"Your Hitmonlee is good, I'll give you that," Matt replied. "It doesn't change the fact that I'm still going to win."

"Bring it on!"

* * *

Back on Ash's end, the tables had turned and he was now on the offensive, determined to take out Kirin's Garchomp. The tactic he had come up with had been working perfectly and the best part was that Kirin still had not picked up on the trick he was using to get the advantage. Ash watched as Buizel dove back into the water after rebounding off of Garchomp with another Aqua Jet.

"Buizel, jump and use Rain Dance!" Ash hollered.

"Use Draco Meteor!" Kirin yelled.

Buizel surfaced from the water and a bright blue ball formed between his paws. Taking one paw away he wound his arm back and launched it into the air. While this was happening, Garchomp had his head looking towards the tree tops with his mouth wide open. A bright orange ball formed in his mouth until it grew to a reasonable size. Garchomp fired the ball high to the tree tops and it exploded with a loud bang. Orange and blue flaming meteorites began to fall towards the ground, giving loud whistles as they fell.

The ball that Buizel launched into the air disappeared and in its place a group of dark clouds blocked out the treetops. A heavy rain began to fall onto the battle area. Buizel had landed back on the ground and locked eyes with Garchomp.

"Buizel, use Ice Punch!" Ash shouted.

Buizel smirked and looked back up at the falling meteorites. His fist was covered in a light blue aura and he made his charge for Garchomp. Garchomp kept his gaze fixed on Buizel, but found himself trying to locate him. Buizel had vanished and turned into an orange blur. He weaved between the meteorites as they hit the ground and exploded with loud bangs. The last meteorite was coming down between him and Garchomp. Desperate to get the hit in, Buizel shot forth and leaped into the air with his fist brought back. The meteorite narrowly missed Buizel and exploded with a loud bang as it hit the ground behind him. Buizel gave a roar and gave the hardest punch that he could.

Buizel's fist smashed directly into Garchomp's jaw and made his body tense up from both the frigid cold of the attack and pain. He landed on the ground and vanished in another orange blue and reappeared in front of Ash once again.

"Hyper Beam!" Kirin barked.

"Buizel, use Hydro Pump as a Counter Shield!" Ash countered.

Garchomp finally regained composure and glared at Buizel as a wicked grin spread across his face. He could see Buizel panting from exhaustion and was ready to deal the final blow to him. He opened his mouth as a dark orange ball started to build inside of it. The ball grew until it filled Garchomp's mouth completely. Buizel crouched down as he tried to anticipate the timing of the Hyper Beam. There was a bright shine and Buizel quickly dropped to his back and opened his mouth, releasing a powerful continuous blast of water.

The Hyper Beam soared at Buizel who had perfectly called the timing of the attack's release. It crashed head into the powerful water jet and was being held at bay. Both attacks were not letting up and then they finally dispersed. Garchomp was wide open for punishment now that he had to recharge, but Buizel's exhaustion was getting the better of him. He fell to his knees and was having trouble with finding the energy to stand up again.

"Hang in there just a little longer, Buizel! You can do it!" Ash encouraged.

"Garchomp, use Dragon Rush!" Kirin yelled.

Garchomp had recovered from using Hyper Beam and crossed his arms. His body was covered in a light blue aura and he crouched down before springing forward at Buizel.

"Dodge it, Buizel!"

Buizel pushed himself up and attempted to move, but he was just a second too late. Garchomp slammed hard into Buizel and sent him flying back to the murky water. Buizel splashed in the filthy water and sunk to its depths.

"Buizel!" Ash called out to his friend.

"You may as well send out your next pokémon, Ketchum," Kirin noted.

"Get real! Buizel's not down yet!"

"You're being foolish for letting your pokémon continue to battle when he is clearly fatigued."

"No one knows my pokémon better than me! He's fine and just to prove it to you, he's going to be the one to take your Garchomp down!"

Kirin laughed at Ash's response. With all the damage Buizel had taken, there was no way his power would be enough to drop Garchomp. He crossed his arms and smirked at Ash who was glaring back at him for mocking Buizel. The rain from Buizel's Rain Dance subsided which would prevent Ash from using his strategy. He would have to wrap this up as soon as possible since he knew Buizel was on his last legs. He already had the trick in his head set up and it was now time to do what he did best. Execute.

"Buizel, Water Pulse, now!" Ash ordered.

Buizel shot up from the water. He looked rough around the edges, but determined to finish the fight. He had his cocky smirk plastered on his face as he generated another ball of water between his paws.

"Back for more, eh?" Kirin chuckled. "Finish it with Fire Blast!"

Garchomp's mouth opened wide as he released another stream of fire that took the shape of a giant star. The blistering flames flew at Buizel who released the ball of water and sent it back down to the bog. He did a quick spin and managed to avoid the majority of the Fire Blast, but the tail end of the attack grazed his arm, earning a cry of pain from him. He dove back into the water just as the Water Pulse hit it. Another large tidal wave was generated from the attack as it made its way towards Garchomp.

Having seen the move before, Kirin shook his head and prepared to have Garchomp break through it again with Dragon Rush. However, he was thrown off by Ash's next command.

"Use Aqua Jet through the tidal wave!" Ash ordered.

As the tidal wave started to make its way onto the landing, Buizel shot like a bullet from behind it and rode up the back of the wave before diving inside it. The Aqua Jet then shot from the front of the wave and towards a surprised Garchomp.

_"How the heck did he do that?"_ Kirin wondered. _"I know Buizels can be quick, but there's no way this one can be this fast!"_

Either way, Garchomp was going to get hit with an attack and that frustrated Kirin a little bit.

"Garchomp, use Hyper Beam, quick!" Kirin barked.

Garchomp opened his mouth as he took careful aim at Buizel and prepared to fire the devastating beam at him. If the attack hit Buizel, he would definitely be taken out of the fight. What Kirin and Garchomp didn't notice though was the small smirk that appeared on Ash's face.

_"That's what I was hoping you would do,"_ Ash thought.

It was time to execute the final part of his attack. As Buizel's Aqua Jet was within feet of Garchomp, Ash gave his next order.

"Now spin and use Ice Punch!" Ash yelled.

The Aqua Jet started to spiral as Buizel spun inside of it and the water veil dropped from him, leaving him exposed. However, cancelling the Aqua Jet worked the way it was intended by increasing Buizel's speed with the energy output forcing him out like a rocket. Kirin had to do something fast or Garchomp was going to get hit by two attacks and did the next best thing he could.

"Hit Buizel with Brick Break!" Kirin barked.

Garchomp quickly canceled his Hyper Beam attack and brought his arm up to conduct a swift chop. The tip of his claw was glowing white as the power coursed inside of it. He swung just as Buizel was on top of him and Buizel gave his punch. Buizel's punch landed on Garchomp's crown and he slid past him after his attack was done. Garchomp and taken a step forward as he finished the follow through of his Brick Break.

Buizel's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he fell face first to the muddy ground out cold. Kirin smirked in victory but stopped when he saw Garchomp saw and fall to the ground, knocked out. The water from the tidal wave subsided and splashed on top of the two unconscious pokémon.

Ash nodded with pride and held up Buizel's ball.

"Buizel, return," Ash said as he recalled him to the ball. "You're the best, buddy. Nice job."

Kirin remained silent as he fished out Garchomp's ball to return him. The red beam landed on the downed pseudo-legendary and he was sucked back inside the ball. Kirin nodded in satisfaction at the ball and tucked it away and pulled out his next one.

"How'd you do it?" Kirin asked.

"Do what?" Ash replied.

"How did you get Buizel to move so quick? There's no way he should have been able to move like that."

"I knew that Buizel couldn't engage Garchomp in close combat because he would not be able to face something of that caliber. So I did the next best thing and used the area around me."

"That doesn't answer the question."

"It was Buizel's ability that gave him the speed he needed. I used the marsh and the water from Rain Dance to activate Swift Swim."

Kirin's eyes widened in surprise and he felt embarrassed for not picking up on it. He chuckled again and released the next ball that was in his hand and it opened with a snap. A white light appeared on the field as his next pokémon materialized before them. The glow vanished to reveal a Gengar.

Ash frowned as he saw that Kirin obviously planned to battle until one of them was defeated. Not wanting to waste any more time than he already did, Ash quickly plotted his next move to break contact. His fingers traced over Tauros's ball and he plucked it from his belt. He sent a brief look at Pikachu who nodded in understanding.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on the trees!" Ash ordered.

Pikachu jumped off of Ash's shoulder and gave a loud cry as he released multiple volts of electricity. The bolts shot at the trees on both sides of the landing and smashed into the base of them. A loud crunch came as the trees started to tip over. Ash got his wish when the two tall trees fell to the ground with a thundering crash, separating him and Kirin. With his chance to escape in front of him, Ash took it. He released Tauros's ball and gave a sharp whistle to Pikachu.

Ash and Pikachu ran to the water's edge where Tauros was now standing and jumped onto his back. Tauros started to run as fast as he could through the muddy water. Ash glanced back at the landing to see if Kirin was in pursuit of him, but he had yet to appear from the trees. He continued watching he landing until it was out of his line of sight.

"Let's get out of here, Tauros," Ash said as he patted his back.

Tauros snorted and continued his stride out of the bog.

* * *

Paul's temper was now running thin as he had been trying to end the battle quick so he could get out of the swamp. Jason was beginning to annoy him and they were still using their first pokémon for the fight. With the effect of the Vicodin now gone, it put Paul in a bad mood as he tried to deal with the pain as best as he could. He pinched the bridge of his nose to try and null the dizziness he was experiencing.

"Come on, Henderson! Didn't you say I was pathetic? Well, I'm holding my ground here right now!" Jason taunted.

That was the last straw for Paul. Whatever patience he had left was now gone and the only thing he wanted to do was shut Jason up by getting the last word in edge wise and win the battle.

"Alright," said Paul as his fists clenched. "I've had it with you. This ends now."

"Use Stone Edge!" Jason hollered at Conkeldurr.

"End it with Giga Impact!" Paul yelled.

Conkeldurr had rings of sharp stones appear around his body as he got ready to fire them at Electivire. Electivire sunk down a little and crossed his arms as he generated power. Conkeldurr released the razor sharp rocks and sent them soaring for Electivire. As the rocks got closer, Electivire's body was covered in a purple sphere. Electivire then pushed himself from the ground and shot towards Conkeldurr with impressive speed. Yellow streaks started to come off of the sphere as he charged towards the attack and Conkeldurr.

Jason watched with a smirk but it turned to shock when Electivire's attack reduced the stones to nothing but dust. Electivire broke through the last set of stones and ducked low to smash into Conkeldurr. His body collided with Conkeldurr's and his shoulder buried inside of his stomach. Conkeldurr gave a cry as he dropped his stone beams and was blasted back. The force of the blow sent him off of the landing and skipping across the water and out of sight.

Paul smirked when Jason turned to glare back at him. Jason pointed a lone finger at Paul as he tried to formulate his words as cool as he could.

"This isn't over, Henderson!" Jason sneered.

"Yeah, it is," Paul retorted as he returned Electivire to his ball.

"What was that?"

"I said it is over. I won our round here. I'm done with you for now."

Paul released Arcanine's ball and summoned him into the clearing. He climbed on and sent a brieft look back at Jason, only to receive a glare in return. He shrugged the look off and tapped Arcanine's sides with his heels to have him move. Arcanine started leaping to each fallen tree in the marsh, careful to avoid the water. As they were heading towards the rendezvous point that Paul had set up, he searched inside his pocket and his fingertips felt two small objects inside. Digging out what he found, he found two spare Vicodin pills. He wondered at first how they got in there and then vaguely remembered Barry placing them in his pocket before they searched for the point.

"Barry, you're awesome," Paul muttered as he placed the pills in his mouth and swallowed them.

* * *

Barry let out a sneeze and rubbed his nose as he looked around the clearing. He shrugged and returned his focus to his battle against Matt. Lucario and Hitmonlee were still going at it, but they were on their last legs.

"Hitmonlee, use Hi-Jump Kick!" Barry ordered.

"Lucario, use Metal Claw!" Matt barked.

Hitmonlee jumped high into the air and his leg extended to the ground to land just in front of Lucario. The rest of his body came down and he brought his knee up just and Lucario slashed at him with extended silver claws. Hitmonlee staggered back from the slash while Lucario stumbled back and hunched over in pain. Hitmonlee was the first to fall to the damp ground and Lucario soon followed afterword and landed on her side.

Barry nodded with a smile and returned Hitmonlee to his ball with Matt doing the same to Lucario.

"Nice job, Hitmonlee. You did great," Barry said as he looked at the ball.

Matt tucked the ball holding Lucario to his belt and eyed Barry as he did the same. An automated voice echoed around the area, garnering their attention.

**"Trainer Matthew Ebornheart has been eliminated from the event and tournament. The victor is Barry Anderson,"** the voice said.

Barry looked confused for a minute when he heard that. He only battled one of Matt's pokémon, so he should still have five more to fight. He glanced at Matt, looking for an explanation. Matt just gave a lazy smile and a shrug.

"Sorry, man. I just had Lucario left," Matt said with a laugh.

"Then why did you battle me? I had all of my pokémon up. There was no way you could have won," Barry replied.

"Ah, you gotta' go big or go home."

"What happened to the rest of your team?"

"Those guys I was with before we started our fight did a number on me."

"You were double teamed?"

"No, it was mainly Kirin that did me in. Jason just got a lucky shot on one of mine."

"Why did you team up with them?"

Matt shrugged and just grinned again.

"I did it to save Lucario from being taken out. I was going to leave if I won the round here to heal my pokémon, but you got me," Matt said.

"Sorry, man," Barry replied.

"What are you sorry for? You put up a good fight! Now do me a favor and make sure neither of those jokers I was teamed up with make it further into the tournament."

With that, Matt gave a two fingered wave and started to walk back into the marsh.

"Hey, Matt, let's battle again sometime!" Barry called.

Matt continued his stride and raised his hand in acknowledgement and vanished into the trees. Barry summoned Rapidash and climbed on top of him, smiling the entire time. He obtained his third point and was tied with Ash and Paul for both points and knockouts.

_"Just two more and I'm in the next round of the tournament!"_ Barry thought with a grin.

* * *

**Well, that's the chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. I especially had fun writing this chapter just because of the mobility and use I had with Buizel with the bog for terrain since it would benefit him in general. I also felt that the writers in the anime couldn't exactly depict Buizel's badassery well, but I think I did him justice in this chapter. Let me know what ya'll think. Now just as a quick note, I start school up next Wednesday where I will be in my final year. I am taking 19 credits, doing a part time job, an internship and battalion work as well, so yeah... If I don't update a lot, there's your reason as to why. Thanks again for the continued support and be sure to check out the points and story shout outs below here. Till next time, everybody. Later.-CaptainPrice**

**Points:**

**1.) So I was looking at X and Y updates and came across the Mega Evolutions. I'll be blatantly honest, I think that's a silly idea. Sure they look cool, but do you really have to update a Pokémon's final evolution form instead of keeping it the same? Nothing wrong with the old evolutions. **

**2.) I was excited to see that Japan is now coming out with an anime portraying Red and Green's adventures through the old generation I games around the same time as the X and Y anime is supposed to be out. Hopefully they'll do an English dub, but we'll see where it goes.**

**3.) I currently have a Pokémon story called Rise of the Hybrids up at this time that is taking OCs. It's a mature story for reasons you'll see if you read it. If you are interested, check it out and feel free to submit, but make sure to read the author's note at the end of the first chapter for the rules and at the end of latest chapter to see what types are being looked for. **

**Story Shout Outs:**

******"Tony's Journey: Unova Grand Tour!" by Coli Chibi (Updated on 8/22/2013)**

******Tony Miller, bug-catcher extraordinaire, is back on the road to becoming the world's greatest Bug Pokémon Master and Champion of Unova. However, with growing feelings for a certain Gym Leader, a deteriorating relationship with his beloved aunt, the revitalized Team Plasma and the bloodthirsty Genesect on the loose, he's going to find it's a long, hard road to be the best!**

**"Crossroads" by Cyclone20 (Recently updated on 7/3/2013)**

**After losing in the Sinnoh League to Tobias, Ash has returned home to realize that he has come to a crossroads in his life; continue to Unova or stop and get stronger so he doesn't have to feel the pain of defeat again and he can finally become the master that he has been destined to become; AshXAnabel.**

**"The Pokemon World League" by The Fan Fiction Writer (Recently updated on 6/24/2013)**

**The elite echelon of the world's trainers gather to determine the very first World Champion. Rated T for safety, expect political undertones and themes. OC's readily accepted.**


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